^<^:^AUY  0^ 


BX  7233. G759  S4  1853 
Griffin,  Edward  D. 
A  series  of  lectures 
delivered  in  Park  Street 


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SERIES 


LE  C  TU  RES, 


DELIVERED    IN 


PARK  STREET  CHURCH,  BOSTON, 


SABBATH   EVENING 


BY    EDWARD    d/gRIFFIN.  D.   D., 

PASTOR  OF  PARK  STREET  CHURCH. 


FOCr.Ta  EDITION,  BEVISED   AND   CORRECTED. 


BOSTON: 

DOCTRINAL  TRACT  AND  BOOK  SOCIETY. 

1853. 


ANDOVER  :   J.   D.   FLAGG, 
Stereotyper  and  Printer. 


ZZGZl^ 


CONTENTS 


PAGE. 

DedicatiOxV, 5 

LECTURE  I. 
Total  Depravity, 9 

LECTURE  IL 
Same  subject  continued, 30 

LECTURE  IIL 

Men  -uitli  Natural  Affections  but  Avithout  Holiness, 69 

LECTURE  lY. 

Men  love  God  supremehj^  or  are  His  Enemies, 88 

LECTURE  Y. 
Regeneration  not  Progressive, 108 

LECTURE  YI 
Regeneration  Supernatural, 133 

LECTURE  YH. 

The  Means  of  Grace, 164 

LECTURE  Yin. 
Same  subject  continued, 184 


IV  CONTEXTS. 

LECTURE  IX. 

PAGB. 

Election, 210 

LECTURE  X. 
The  Plea  of  Inability  considered, 239 

LECTURE  XI. 
The  Perseverance  of  Saints, 263 

LECTURE  Xn. 
The  System  Confirmed  and  Applied, 284 


THE  CONGREGATION  WHO  SUPPORT  THE  LECTURE 


IN   PAKK-STREET   CHURCH   ON   SABBATH   EVENING. 


My  dear  Friends, 

In  dedicating  to  you  a  Series  of  Discourses  prepared  for 
your  benefit,  and  now  published  at  the  request  of  a  very 
respectable  portion  of  you,  I  think  I  am  prompted  no  less 
by  propriety  than  feeling.  Though  many  of  you  do  not 
belong  to  my  particular  charge,  the  Lecture  which  you  have 
contributed  to  maintain  is  your  own,  and  these  fruits  of  it 
are  your  own.  I  am  glad,  also,  to  have  this  opportunity  to 
express  my  gratitude  for  the  liberality  and  candor  with 
wliich  you  have  supported  that  Exercise  and  statedly  listened 
to  the  expositions  there  attempted.  As  a  distinct  expression 
of  this  sentiment,  I  commit  these  p!ainyUnador7ied  J)'iscouTses, 
which  you  have  caused  to  be  preached,  to  your  patronage 
and  protection,  while  in  a  higher  sense  I  commend  them  to 
the  favor  and  gracious  protection  of  God. 

Should  strangers  chance  to  cast  an  eye  on  the  following 

pages,  they  will  probably  regard  them  with  various  feelings ; 

1* 


but  you,  my  brethren,  will  certainly  regard  tliem  with  candor 
and  kindness,  and  especially  the  numerous  proofs  adduced 
from  the  word  of  God.  On  these  I  beseech  you  to  ponder, 
with  deep  and  solemn  attention  and  with  many  prayers. 
By  the  book  which  furnishes  these  proofs  we  must  all  be 
judged  in  the  day  that  shall  decide  the  eternal  destinies  of 
men.  He  is  an  infidel  who  will  not  suffer  that  volume  abso- 
lutely to  govern  his  faith,  in  spite  of  preconceived  opinions 
or  present  reasonings."  It  was  to  be  expected  that  a  revela- 
tion of  the  infinite  God  would  rise  above  the  blinded  reason 
of  man.  "J^  tfioughts  are  not  your  thoughts,  neither  are  your 
ways  my  ways,  saith  the  Lord  ;  for,  as  the  heavens  are  higher 
than  the  earth,  so  are  my  ways  higher  than  your  ways,  and  my 
thoughts  than  your  thoughts'^  Whoever  sits  down  to  these 
sheets  with  a  proud  determination,  whatever  the  Scriptures 
may  decide,  to  think  for  himself,  will  be  likely  to  rise  with 
his  old  opinions.  But  the  man  who  enters  on  the  investiga- 
tion with  humility  and  prayer,  will  be  guided  into  all  truth, 
whether  he  finds  it  in  these  pages  or  not.  If  any  reader  is 
resolved  not  to  bow  implicitly  to  the  word  of  God,  I  beseech 
him  to  close  the  book  here. 

Should  any  of  you  be  tempted  to  think  that  some  parts  of 
this  exposition  are  too  much  against  you,  before  you  decide 
recollect  that  you  are  a  jiarty  concerned. 

In  expressing  my  own  views  of  truth,  I  have  had  no  wish 
to  give  offence  or  pain  to  others.  I  have  spoken  plainly, 
as  time  and  circumstances  seemed  to  require ;  and  expect 


vu 

to  have  my  motives  reexamined  at  a  tribunal  from  which 
there  is  no  appeal.  If  I  have  censured  without  the  gen- 
tleness of  the  Christian  spirit,  may  God  forgive;  if  with 
right  views  and  feelings,  to  him  be  the  praise. 

My  heart's  desire  and  prayer  to  God  is,  that  even  these 
Discourses  may  prove  of  some  advantage  to  you  and  your 
children. 

I  am. 

Dear  Brethren, 

"With  affectionate  respect, 

Your  brother  and  servant  in  the  Lord, 
EDWARD   D.   GRIFFIN. 
Bostoriy  March  26,  1813. 


LECTURE  L 


TOTAL  DEPRAVITY. 

GENESIS  VI.  5. 

AND  GOD  SAW  THAT  THE  WICKEDNESS  OF  MAN  WAS  GREAT 
IN  THE  EARTH,  AND  THAT  EVERY  IMAGINATION  OF  THE 
THOUGHTS  OF  HIS  HEART  WAS  ONLY  EVIL  CONTINUE 
ALLY. 

Such  was  the  character  of  the  whole  antediluvian 
world,  with  the  exception  of  a  single  family.  And 
unless  human  nature  is  essentially  changed,  such  is 
the  character,  with  the  exception  of  those  who  are 
renewed  by  grace,  of  the  whole  modern  world.  But 
human  natm-e  is  not  changed.  It  never  was  tainted 
with  anything  worse  than  inordinate  self-love ;  it  is 
tainted  with  that  still.  The  nature  of  man,  like 
that  of  other  animals,  remains  essentially  the  same 
in  every  period  and  condition.  "  As  in  water. face 
answereth  to  face,  so  the  heart  of  man  to  man, 
(Prov.  xxvii.  19).  Different  restraints  may  be  im- 
posed by  light,  by  example,  by  civilized  habits,  by 
divine  and  human  laws,  by  motives  growing  out  of 
peculiar  circumstances,  by  more  or  less  activity  in 


10  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY. 

the  social  affections;  but  till  a  new  nature  is  im- 
planted, selfishness  gives  essentially  the  same  form 
in  the  sight  of  God  to  every  human  character.  He 
that  only  "  hateth  his  brother  is  a  murderer ;"  he 
that  cherishes  an  impure  desire  is  an  adulterer ;  he 
that  covets  is  an  idolater,  (Mat.  v.  28;  Eph.  v.  5; 
Col.  iii.  5  ;  1  John  iii.  15).  In  this  polluted  principle 
lurk  the  seeds  of  all  sin ;  and  where  nothing  else 
of  a  moral  nature  exists,  as  in  all  cases  where  "  true 
holiness"  is  wanting,  it  constitutes  the  whole  charac- 
ter in  the  sight  of  God.  Of  course  the  characer  of 
all  unholy  men,  however  variously  compressed  by 
restraints,  is  specifically  the  same. 

What  then  does  our  text  affirm  of  all  unsanctified 
men  ?  That  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of 
their  heart  is  only  evil  continually.  Language  could 
not  more  fully  or  plainly  assert  that  fundamental 
doctrine  of  our  holy  religion  which  I  shall  lay  at  the 
foundation  of  these  lectures,  that  mankind  by  nature 
are  totally  depraved. 

But  what  is  meant  by  total  depravity  ?  Not  that 
men  are  as  bad  as  they  can  be ;  for  in  general  they 
lie  under  strong  restraints.  Not  that  they  are  all 
equally  wicked ;  for  some  are  more  restrained  than 
others.  Not  that  they  are  destitute  of  everything 
useful  and  lovely  in  society  ;  their  humanity  and 
social  affections  are  decidedly  of  this  character.  Not 
that  the  form  of  their  actions  is  always  wrong ;  the 
contrary  is  manifestly  true.  It  is  only  meant  that 
they  are  ^utterly  destitute  of  holiness^  and  of  course 
are  sinful  so  far  as  their  feelings  and  actions  partake 


TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  11 

of  a  moral  nature.  It  certainly  is  not  meant  that 
they  are  necessarily  inclined  to  evil  without  the 
power  of  resistance.  They  possess  ample  power, 
and  in  all  their  wickedness  are  voluntary  and  free. 

This  is  the  precise  shape  of  the  doctrine  to  be 
supported.  The  principal  arguments  on  which  it 
rests  will  be  detailed  in  this  and  the  three. follow- 
ing lectures. 

Argument  I.  By  the  first  creation  or  birth  man- 
Idnd  are  united  to  the  first  Adam,  and  inherit  the 
character  which  he  possessed  immediately  after  the 
fall,  —  until,  by  a  second  creation  or  birth,  they  are 
united  to  the  second  Adam  and  become  partakers  of 
his  holiness.  It  is  necessary  to  view  this  argument 
by  parts. 

I.  Depravity  is  derived  from  Adam.  This  is 
proved, 

1.  From  the  universal  depravity  of  man.  "  God 
looked  upon  the  earth  and  behold  it  was  corrupt, 
for  all  flesh  had  corrupted  his  way,"  (Gen.  vi.  12). 
"  The  Lord  looked  down  from  heaven  upon  the 
children  of  men  to  see  if  there  were  any  that  did 
understand  and  seek  God.  They  are  all  gone  aside  ; 
they  are  together  become  filthy  ;  there  is  7ione  that 
doeth  good,  wo,  not  one.''''  (Ps.  xiv.  2, 3.)  "  We  have 
before  proved  both  Jews  and  Gentiles  that  they  are 
all  under  sin ;  as  it  is  written,  there  is  none  righteous, 
no  not  one  :  there  is  none  that  understandeth  ;  there 
is  none  that  seeketh  after  God.  They  are  all  gone 
out  of  the  way  ;  they  are  together  become  unprofita- 
ble ;    there   is    none  that  doeth  good,  no   not   one. 


12  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY. 

Therefore  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  there  shall  no 
flesh  be  justified,"  (Rom.  iii.  9  —  12,  20).  "The 
Scripture  hath  concluded  all  under  sin,  that  the 
promise  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ  might  be  given  to 
them  that  believe,"  (Gal.  iii.  22).  "  If  we  say  that 
we  have  no  sin  we  deceive  ourselves  and  the  truth  is 
not  in  us.  If  we  say  that  we  have  not  sinned  we 
make  him  a  liar  and  his  word  is  not  in  us,"  (1  John 
i.  8,  10).  God  "now  commandeth  all  men  every- 
where to  repent  J"*  (Acts  xvii.  30). 

So  deeply  is  sin  rooted  in  the  human  heart,  that 
the  continued  struggles  of  the  best  men,  with  all  the 
means  and  aids  derived  froixi  heaven,  have  never 
prevailed  in  a  single  instance  to  eradicate  it  entirely. 
'*  Who  can  say,  I  have  made  my  heart  clean,  I  am 
pure  from  my  sin  ?  "  "  There  is  not  a  just  man 
upon  earth  that  doeth  good  and  sinneth  not."  "  In 
many  things  we  offend  all."  "  For  there  is  no  man 
that  sinneth  not."  (Pro v.  xx.  9;  Eccl.-vii.  20;  Jas. 
iii.  2  ;  1  Kings  viii.  46.) 

Now  here  is  a  wonder  to  be  accounted  for,  —  sin 
tainting  every  individual  of  Adam's  race  in  every 
age,  country,  and  condition,  and  surviving  in  every 
heart  all  exertions  to  destroy  it.  One  would  think 
this  might  prove,  if  anything  could  prove,  that  sin 
belongs  to  the  nature  of  man,  as  much  as  reason  or 
speech,  (though  in  a  sense  altogether  compatible 
with  blame*)  and  must  be  derived  like  other  universal 

*  Compatible  with  blame  because  an  hereditary  propensity  is 
as  much  the  spontaneous  action  of  the  heart  as  any  other ;  and 


TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  13 

attributes  of  our  nature,  from  the  original  parent, — 
propagated  precisely  like  reason  or  speech,  (neither 
of  which  is  exercised  at  firsts)  —  propagated  like 
many  other  propensities,  mental  as  well  as  bodily^ 
which  certainly  are  inherited  from  parents,  —  propa- 
gated  like  the  noxious  nature  of  other  animals.  If 
the  phenomenon  is  not  accounted  for  in  this  natural 
and  easy  way,  so  analogous  to  that  great  law  by 
which  all  animals  propagate  their  kinds  and  their 
dispositions^  it  must  remain  to  the  end  of  the  world 
an  unsolvable  mystery.  I  prove  the  derivation  of 
sin  from  Adam, 

2.  From  the  fact  that  mankind  are  horn  de- 
praved. 

Whether  the  depravity  of  infants  consists  in 
exercises  or  dispositions,  or  whether  from  the  first 
or  at  what  age  they  actually  begin  to  sin,  I  shall 
by  no  means  allow  myself  to  inqune.  Without 
denying  what  others  may  choose  to  assert  on  these 
points,  all  that  I  can  feel  authorized  to  say  is,  that, 
as  the  young  lion  is  born  not  an  elephant,  but  with 
a  carnivorous  nature,  though  he  does  not  at  first  feed 
on  flesh ;  and  as  the  serpent  is  not  a  dove,  but  pos- 
sesses a  poisonous  natm-e,  while  yet  in  the  egg ;  and 
both  will  certainly  act  out  their  peculiar  nature 
when  they  arrive  at  maturity ;  so  infants  are  born 
with  a  nature  which,  not  hij  necessity,  but  by  the 
free  consent  of  the  hearty  will  in  all  cases  actually 

to  be  tvllUng  Is  to  be  free  ;  to  be  voluntary  In  sin  is  to  be  blame' 
worthy. 

2 


14  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY. 

sin  as  soon  as  they  are  able.  Without  denying  that 
more  is  true,  I  mean  to  assert  no  more  when  I  speak 
of  the  depravity  of  infants  and  when  I  call  them 
sinners.  Least  of  all  do  I  undertake  to  decide  on 
their  condition  in  a  future  ivorld.  In  the  hands  of 
divine  mercy  I  leave  them,  and  bow  in  submissive 
silence.  That  infants  in  this  sense  are  depraved,  I 
argue, 

[1]  From  the  fact  already  established,  that,  in 
all  ages  and  nations,  without  a  single  exception, 
they  do  sin  when  they  arrive  at  years  of  discretion. 
This  furnishes  the  same  evidence  that  they  are  born 
with  a  bent  to  evil,  that  is  furnished  by  the  universal 
propensity  of  lions  to  feed  on  flesh,  that  they  are 
born  with  a  carnivorous  nature.     I  argue  this, 

[2]  From  the  sufferings  and  death  of  infants. 
If  it  be  said  that  the  sufferings  and  death  of  brutes 
furnish  the  same  evidence  of  their  depravity,  I 
admit  that  the  groans  of  the  irrational  creation,  as 
well  as  the  briers  and  thistles  of  the  ground,  prove 
that  the  nature  of  all  things  is  marred  by  the  sin  of 
man.  But  for  this  no  animals  would  have  been 
carnivorous,  none  poisonous,  none  resentful,  (Isa.  xi. 
6 — 9 ;  and  Ixv.  25).  The  fall  of  man,  though  it 
could  not  infect  brutes  with  moral  depravity,  has 
occasioned  a  real  depravation  of  their  nature.  No 
animals  are  found,  if  possessed  of  sufficient  vigor, 
which  are  not  capable  of  bitter  animosity.  I  am 
willing  to  regard  the  sufferings  of  the  irrational 
tribes  as  a  public  token  of  the  depravation  of  their 
nature ;  and  must  by  analogy  regard  the  sufferings 


TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  15 

and  death  of  infants  as  a  token  of  the  depravity  of 
a  nature  created  for  moral  action. 

In  relation  to  mankind  it  is  a  fundamental  maxim 
of  divine  government  that  "  the  curse  causeless  shall 
not  come,"  (Pro v.  xxvi.  2).  "  Who  ever  perished 
being  innocent  ?  or  where  were  the  righteous  cut 
off?"  (JoH  iv.  7).  I  forbear  to  insist  on  the  several 
recorded  instances  of  the  destruction  of  infants 
expressly  in  token  of  God's  displeasure  against  sin, 
as  at  the  time  of  the  flood,  the  burning  of  Sodom, 
(which  ten  righteous  persons  would  have  saved,  Gen. 
xviii.  32,)  the  plagues  of  Egypt,  the  destruction  of 
Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram,  of  Achan,  of  the  nations 
of  Canaan,  of  Jerusalem,  of  Babylon,  (Exod.  xii. 
29  ;  Num.  xvi.  27 — 33) ;  as  also  the  express  com- 
mand^ in  several  instances,  to  destroy  infants  with 
their  parents,  as  a  punishment  for  sin.  (Deut.  ii.  34  ; 
iii.  6  ;  vii.  2  ;  Isa.  xii.  18  ;  Num.  xxxi.  17  ;  Ezek.  ix. 
6,)  I  forbear  to  insist  on  these  ;  for  in  that  memora- 
ble passage  in  the  fifth  of  Romans,  the  apostle 
appears  to  have  settled  the  point  that  death  comes 
upon  the  whole  human  race,  (not  as  it  does  on 
brutes,)  in  consequence  of  their  sin,  of  nature  or 
practice.  "  By  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world, 
and  death  by  sin ;  and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men 
for  that  all  have  sinned^  His  argument  plainly 
rests  on  the  principle  that  among  the  human  race, 
(not  among  brutes,)  the  empire  of  sin  and  that  of 
death  are  coextensive.  If  in  the  sequel  he  makes 
the  visible  ground  of  the  death  of  infants  to  be  the 
public  sin  of  Adam,  (a  point  which  I  freely  concede,) 


16  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY. 

I  hope  to  show  hereafter,  that  for  the  posterity  of 
Adam  to  suffer  any  evil  on  account  of  his  sin,  is 
itself  a  sufficient  proof  that  they  partake  of  his 
depravity.     I  argue  the  depravity  of  infants, 

[3]  From  theu  need  of  a  Saviour  and  from  their 
being  brought  to  a  Saviour  in  baptism.  "  We  thus 
judge,  that  if  one  died  for  all  then  were  all  dead, 
and  that  he  died  for  all,^^  (2  Cor.  v.  14, 15).  If  infants 
are  saved  by  Christ,  certainly  they  are  sinners,  (in  the 
sense  already  explained,)  for  he  came  to  save  none 
but  sinners.  "  They  that  be  whole  need  not  a 
physician,  but  they  that  are  sick,"  (Mat.  Lx.  12,  13). 
Whoever  is  entitled  to  salvation  b?/  laiv,  cannot  be 
saved  by  grace.  But  if  infants  are  not  saved  by 
grace  and  by  Christ,  why  bring  them  to  him  in  bap- 
tism and  fix  upon  them  the  seal  of  the  covenant  of 
grace  ?  If  they  are  pure,  why  sprinkle  them  with 
water  as  if  they  were  unclean  ?  Why  was  an 
ordinance  instituted  to  set  forth  their  need  of  purifi- 
cation ?  If  children  are  spotless,  infant  baptism  is  a 
jest.     But  their  depravity  is  settled, 

[4]  By  express  declarations  of  Scripture.  "  Be- 
hold I  was  shapen  in  iniquity  and  in  sin  did  my 
mother  conceive  me."  "  What  is  man  that  he  should 
be  clean,  and  he  which  is  born  of  a  woman  that  he 
should  be  righteous  ?  "  "  Who  can  bring  a  clean 
thing  out  of  an  unclean  ?  "  "  How  can  he  be  clean 
that  is  born  of  a  woman  ? "  "  The  wicked  are 
estranged  from  the  womb  ;  they  go  astray  as  soon 
as  they  be  born."  "  I  knew  that  thou  wouldst  deal 
very  treacherously,  and  wast  called   a  transgressor 


TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  17 

from  the  womb."  "  Foolishness  is  bound  in  the 
heart  of  a  child."  "  The  imagination  of  man's 
heart  is  evil  from  his  youth."  "  The  children  of 
Israel  —  have  only  done  evil  before  me  from  their 
youth."  "  As  for  thy  nativity,  [alluding  to  the  pollu- 
tion and  ruin  accompanying  the  first  birth,  and  the 
remedy  which  divine  mercy  provided,]  in  the  day 
thou  Avast  born  —  thou  [wast  not]  washed  in  water, 
but  thou  wast  cast  out  in  the  open  field  to  the  loath- 
ing of  thy  person  in  the  day  that  thou  wast  born. 
And  when  I  passed  by  thee  and  saw  thee  polluted 
in  thine  own  blood,  I  said  unto  thee  when  thou 
wast  in  thy  blood,  Live  :  yea,  I  said  unto  thee  when 
thou  wast  in  thy  blood.  Live."  "  That  which  is  born 
of  flesh  is  flesli'^  —  is  carnal.  "  The  natural  man 
receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for 
they  are  foolishness  unto  him."  "  Among  whom  we 
all  had  our  conversation,  —  and  were  by  nature  the 
children  of  A^Tath  even  as  others."  (Gen.  vii.  21 ;  Job 
xiv.  4,  and  xv.  14,  and  xxv.  4 ;  Ps.  li.  5,  and  Iviii.  3  ; 
Prov.  xxii.  15  ;  Isai.  xlviii.  8  ;  Jer.  xxxii.  30  ;  Ezek. 
xvi.  4,  5 ;  John  iii.  6  ;  1  Cor.  ii.  14 ;  Eph.  ii.  3.) 

Now  if  all  mankind  are  born  depraved,  there  is 
the  same  evidence  that  depravity  is  propagated  from 
father  to  son  through  all  generations,  as  that  speech 
or  reason  or  any  of  the  natural  affections  are,  (though 
in  a  sense  entirely  compatible  with  blame),  and  of 
course  is  to  be  traced  equally  with  them  to  the 
original  parent. 

But  if,  on  the  other  hand,  infants  receive  their 
whole    nature   from  their   parents    pure,  —  if  when 

2* 


18  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY. 

they  leave  the  duct,  through  which  all  properties  are 
conveyed  from  ancestors,  they  are  infected  with  no 
depravity,  it  is  plain  that  they  never  derive  a  taint 
of  moral  pollution  from  Adam.  There  can  be  no 
conveyance  after  they  are  born,  and  his  sin  was  in 
no  sense  the  occasion  of  the  universal  depravity 
of  the  world,  otherwise  than  merely  as  the  first 
example.  These  two  points,  the  depravity  of  infants, 
and  the  derivation  of  sin  from  Adam  stand  or  fall 
together.  Either  infants  are  born  depraved,  (just  as 
they  are  born  with  the  faculties  of  reason  and  speech, 
and  with  the  instincts  on  which  are  founded  the 
natural  affections,)  or  the  universal  depravity  of 
man  no  more  follows  from  the  sin  of  Adam,  than 
fi-om  the  sin  of  Noah.  I  prove  the  derivation  of  sin 
from  Adam, 

3.  From  the  fact  that  we  are  involved  by  him 
in  condemnation  and  punishment. 

In  condemnation  at  least  to  temporal  evils.  That 
all  the  temporal  evils  pronounced  upon  our  first 
parents,  the  toil  and  trouble,  the  thorns  and  thistles, 
the  state  of  female  subjection,  the  pains  of  child- 
birth, and  death  itself,  do  in  fact  come  upon  their 
posterity,  not  casually,  but  according  to  the  original 
sentence,  is  so  evident  that  it  is  not  denied.  Just 
cast  your  eyes,  however,  on  the  following  texts  :  "  I 
suffer  not  a  woman  to  teach,  nor  to  usurp  authority 
over  the  man,  but  to  be  in  silence  ;  for  Adam  was 
first  formed,  then  Eve  ;  and  Adam  was  not  deceived, 
but  the  woman  being  deceived  was  in  the  transgi'es- 
sion.     Notwithstanding,  she  shall  be  saved  in  child- 


TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  19 

bearing  if  they  continue  in  faith  and  charity,"  (Gen. 
iii.  16 — 19  ;  1  Tim.  ii.  2 — 15).  "  Since  by  man  came 
death,  by  man  came  also  the  resmTcction  of  the  dead. 
For  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be 
made  alive.  [And  to  prolong  the  quotation  though 
the  subject  changes,]  —  The  first  man  Adam  was 
made  a  living  soul,  the  last  Adam  was  made  a  quick- 
ening spirit.  Howbeit  that  was  not  first  which  is 
spiritual,  but  that  which  is  natural,  and  afterwards 
that  which  is  spkitual.  The  first  man  is  of  the 
earth  earthy,  the  second  man  is  the  Lord  from 
heaven.  As  is  the  earthy  such  are  they  also  which 
are  earthy,  and  as  is  the  heavenly  such  are  they  also 
tnat  are  heavenly.  And  as  we  have  borne  the 
image  of  the  earthy,  we  shall  also  bear  the  image 
of  the  heavenly,"  (1  Cor.  xv.  21,  22,  45—49). 

It  has  been  said  that  the  temporal  evils  contem- 
plated in  the  original  sentence,  were  entailed  on 
mankind  merely  as  blessings.  But  how  could  they 
be  regarded  as  blessings  unless  the  race  were  viewed 
as  sinneis  standing'  in  need  of  chastisement  ?  It  is 
no  blessing  to  a  perfectly  holy  being  to  suffer.  The 
very  supposition  that  they  were  entailed  as  blessings 
gives  up  the  argument.  But  the  death  entailed, 
(and  by  a  parity  of  reason  all  the  temporal  suffer- 
ings which  come  by  Adam,)  is  represented  in  the 
fifth  of  Romans,  not  as  a  mercy,  but  as  a  punishment 
following  a  sentence  of  condemnation. 

But  in  whatever  light  you  regard  these  sufferings, 
whether  as  blessings  or  punishments,  God  distinctly 
disclaims  the  principle  of  inflicting  them  on  innocent 


20  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY. 

children  for  the  sins^of  the  parents.  At  the  time  of 
the  Babylonish  captivity  the  Jews  thought  they  had 
reason  to  complain,  —  "  The  fathers  have  eaten  sour 
grapes,  and  the  children's  teeth  are  set  on  edge." 
Ezekiel  was  sent  to  reprove  them,  and  to  say, 
"  What  mean  ye  that  ye  use  this  proverb  ?  —  The 
soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die.  —  If  he  beget  a  son 
that  seeth  all  his  father's  sins  —  and  doth  not  such 
like,  —  he  shall  not  die  for  the  iniquity  of  his  father; 
he  shall  surely  live.  Yet  say  ye,  Why,  doth  not  the 
son  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  father  ?  When  the  son 
hath  done  that  which  is  lawful  and  right,  —  he  shall 
surely  live.  The  son  shall  not  bear  the  iniquity  of 
the  father,  neither  shall  the  father  bear  the  iniquity 
of  the  son :  the  righteousness  of  the  righteous  shall 
be  upon  liim^  and  the  wickedness  of  the  wicked  shall 
be  upon  /<m."  God,  indeed,  visits  "the  iniquity  of 
the  fathers  upon  the  children  unto  the  third  and 
fourth  generation,"  but  it  is  upon  the  generations 
"  of  them  that  hate^^  him.  When  Josiah  confessed, 
"  Great  is  the  wrrath  of  the  Lord  that  is  kindled 
against  us  because  our  fathers  have  not  hearkened," 
the  answer  was,  "  I  will  bring  evil  upon  this  place 
and  upon  the  inhabitants  thereof — because  they 
have  forsaken  me."  They  suffered  for  the  sins  of 
their  fathers  because  they  partook  of  their  fathers' 
sins.  On  the  same  principle,  the  sins  of  persecuting 
ancestors  were  visited  upon  that  generation  who 
persecuted  Christ  and  his  apostles.  "  Behold,  I  send 
unto  you  prophets  and  wise  men  and  scribes  ;  and 
some  of  them  ye  shall  kill  and  crucify,  and  some  of 


TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  21 

them  shall  ye  scourge  in  your  synagogues,  and  per- 
secute them  from  city  to  city;  that  vpon  you  may 
come  all  the  righteous  blood  shed  vpoji  the  earthy 
from  the  blood  of  righteous  Abel  unto  the  blood  of 
Zacharias,  son  of  Barachias,  whom  ye  slew,  [the 
crime  had  been  committed  five  hundred  years  before,] 
between  the  temple  and  the  altar.  Verily  I  say  unto 
you,  all  these  things  shall  come  upon  this  genera- 
tion." For  the  same  reason,  the  sin  of  Esau  was 
visited  upon  his  posterity.  "  For  three  transgressions 
of  Edom  and  for  four  I  will  not  turn  away  the  pun- 
ishment thereof;  because  he  did  pursue  Ids  brother 
with  the  sword^  and  did  cast  off  all  pity,  and  his 
anger  did  tear  perpetually^  and  kept  his  wrath  /c^r- 
everP  Precisely  for  the  same  reason  the  sin  of 
Adam  is  visited  upon  his  posterity  in  temporal 
calamities  and  death.  "  Thy  first  father  has  sinned 
AND  thy  teachers  have  transgressed  against  me; 
THEREFORE,  I  havc  profaucd  the  princes  of  the  sanctu- 
ary, and  have  given  Jacob  to  the  curse  and  Israel  to 
reproaches."  (Exod.  xx.  5  ;  2  Kings  xxii.  13, 16, 17 ; 
Isaiah  xliii.  27,  28  ;  Ezek.  xviii.  1—20  ;  Amos  i.  11 ; 
Zech.  i.  1  ;  Mat.  xxiii.  34 — 36.)  Thus  the  temporal 
evils  entailed  on  men  for  the  sin  of  Adam  incontest- 
ably  prove  that  they  partake  of  his  depravity. 

There  is  one  passage  which  has  been  understood 
to  assert  that  the  posterity  of  Adam  are  condemned 
for  his  sin  to  eternal  death.  The  passage  is  in  the 
fifth  of  Romans.  It  certainly  affirms  that  they  are 
condemned  for  his  sin  ;  but  whether  to  temporal  only, 
or  to  eternal  death,  is  a  question  which  I  have  no 


22  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY. 

call  to  decide.  Whichever  death  is  intended,  the 
passage  opens  to  my  view  the  following  theory. 
Adam  was  the  federal  head  of  his  posterity.  The 
covenant  with  him  provided  that  if  he  stood,  they 
stood  ;  if  he  fell,  they  fell.  It  made  him  the  root 
from  which  all  the  branches  should  derive  their 
nature.  It  was  as  though  they  had  all  been  con- 
temporary with  him,  and,  with  their  hearts,  his  heart 
had  been  connected  by  innumerable  conductors  to 
convey  instantly  his  purity  or  poison  to  them.  Thus 
inseparably  united  in  temper,  his  public  transgression 
was  as  much  the  index  of  their  hearts,  as  of  his  own, 
—  as  much  the  index  of  their  hearts  as  though  it 
had  been  theu*  own  hand  which  had  plucked  the 
forbidden  fruit.  His  public  act,  standing  thus  in 
the  place  of  an  external  act  of  theirs,  became  the 
ground  of  iheir  public  condemnation,  (whatever  the 
sentence  included,)  in  the  same  sense  in  which  the 
outward  act  is  in  any  case  the  ground  of  condemna- 
tion. In  no  case  is  it  the  gi'ound  otherwise  than  as 
being,  or  as  supposed  to  be  the  index  of  the  heart. 
And  Adam's  posterity  would  not  have  been  condem- 
ned for  his  act  had  not  their  hearts  been  as  completely 
indicated  by  it  as  they  could  have  been  by  any  act 
of  their  own.  Of  course  every  evil  denounced 
against  them  for  his  sin,  (whether  temporal  or  eter- 
nal,) proves  that  they  partake  of  his  depravity. 

4.  The  derivation  of  sin  from  Adam  is  supported 
by  other  passages  of  Scripture.  Of  these,  however, 
I  shall  mention  but  two.  "  Adam  —  begot  a  son  in 
his  own  likeness,  after  his  image."     Was  it  necessary 


TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  23 

after  mankind  had  seen  animals  propagate  their 
kinds  for  twenty-five  hundred  years,  for  Moses  to 
inform  the  world  that  Adam  begot  a  son  ivith  a  body 
shaped  like  his  oicn?  In  the  other  passage  the 
original  righteousness  and  the  subsequent  sins  of 
man  are  spoken  of  as  the  righteousness  and  sins  of 
the  specie s^  as  if  the  whole  race  lost  their  original 
holiness  in  Adam  :  "  Lo  this  only  have  I  found,  that 
God  hath  made  man  upright,  but  they  have  sought 
out  many  inventions,"  (Gen.  v.  3;  Eccl.  vii.  29). 

Thus  I  have  shown  in  the  first  part  of  the  argu- 
ment, that  depravity  is  derived  from  Adam.  I  am 
now  to  show  you, 

II.     That  this  depravity  is  total. 

1.  Adam  himself  sunk  into  total  depravity  as 
soon  as  he  had  broken  the  covenant.  That  the 
wages  of  sin  involved  abandonment  to  unmixed 
depravity,  I  suppose  will  not  be  denied.  One  thing 
is  certain,  —  from  that  moment  he  could  receive  no 
favor  but  by  grace;  for  gi-ace  is  favor  to  the  ilU 
deserving.  No  divine  influence  could  from  that 
moment  work  holiness  in  his  heart  without  being  an 
operation  of  grace,  or  favor  to  the  ill-deserving.  If 
such  an  influence  was  necessary  to  make  him  holy, 
he  must  have  remained  utterly  destitute  of  holiness 
till  it  was  given  him  by  grace.  Every  man  then 
who  believes  that  God  is  the  som'ce  of  holiness  in 
any  other  sense  than  by  creating  rational  beings  and 
leaving  them  to  themselves,  must  believe  that  the 
fallen  Adam  was  totally  depraved  till  restored  by 
the  dispensation  of  grace. 


24  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY. 

2.  Adam  transmitted  to  his  posterity  the  nature 
which  he  possessed  immediately  after  the  fall,  not 
the  nature  which  he  received  by  grace.  The  moment 
he  broke  covenant  by  one  offence,  he  had  done  all 
that  he  could  do  to  fix  the  character  and  fate  of  his 
offspring.  (Rom.  v.*  12 — 21).  He  was  their  federal 
head  in  his  fall,  but  not  in  his  reascent.  He  left 
them  there,  to  be  raised  not  by  him,  but  by  Christ. 
The  idea  that  he  became  restored,  and  propagated 
that  restored  nature  to  his  seed,  is  making  him  the 
federal  head  in  the  restoration  of  the  world,  —  is 
putting  him  exactly  in  the  place  of  the  SecondAdam. 
But  the  experience  of  a  hundred  generations  evinces 
that  grace  is  not  hereditary. 

It  is  apparent  then  that  the  posterity  of  Adam, 
vieiced  as  existing  immecUatelij  after  the  faU.,  were 
totally  depraved ;  and  if  any  or  all  of  them  were 
ever  to  be  restored  to  the  lowest  degree  of  holiness, 
it  was  to  be  accomplished  by  Christ  under  the 
dispensation  of  grace.     Let  us  then  inquire, 

3.  Whether  the  race  were  so  restored  by  Christ 
at  the  time  of  the.  first  promise  in  Eden,  that 
they  come  into  the  world  in  successive  generations 
otherwise  than  totally  depraved.*  To  this  question 
I  answer, 

*  It  has  been  said  that  mankind  would  have  been  left  bj  the 
fall  in  as  deplorable  a  condition  as  the  author  represents,  had  not 
a  Saviour  been  provided ;  but  by  this  provision  their  lapsed 
powers  have  been  restored  and  they  have  come  into  the  world  in 
every  generation  with  minds  resembling  a  sheet  of  Avliite  paper 
—  without  a  stain,  but  susceptible  indiiferently  of  good  and  bad 


TOTAL  DEPRAVITY.  25 

[1]  That  there  is  not  a  particle  of  evidence  that 
the  posterity  of  Adam  were  at  all  affected  by  his 
sin,  except  what  is  contained  in  those  declarations 
and  facts  which  apply  to  them  exclusively  after  they 
come  into  existence.  Cast  your  eye  over  the  texts 
on  which  all  our  knowledge  of  the  connection 
between  Adam  and  his  posterity*  depends,  and  you 
will  find  them  uniformly  referring  to  a  posterity  in 
actual  existence  and  no  other.  The  notion  that 
greater  evils  were  antecedently  denounced  against 
that  posterity,  by  law,  than  they  actually  find  at 
their  entrance  on  existence,  (bating  the  chance  for 
restoration  arising  from  the  dispensation  of  grace,) 
is  a  fancy  unsupported  by  a  single  hint  in  all  the  Bible. 
[2]  This  opinion  has  arisen  from  two  mistakes :  — 
First,  from  the  idea  that  infants  are  born  pure. 
This  has  been  shown  to  be  an  error ;  but  if  it  were 
not,  it  would  not  justify  the  notion  of  an  antecedent 
restoration.  If  infants  are  born  pure,  as  they  can 
draw  no  pollution  from  Adam  afterwards,  they  never 
derive  any  depravity  from  him.  Those  texts,  then, 
which  relate  to  Adam's  posterity  must  not  be  under- 
stood to  import  that  an  existing  posterity  are  tainted 
by  his  fall.  But  no  other  posterity  are  referred  to  in 
any  text  in  the  Bible.  We  are  left  then  without  a 
particle  of  proof  that  the  posterity  of  Adam  fell 
with  him  in  any  sense.     But  if  they  did  not  fall, 

impressions.  As  a  species^  according  to  this  hypotliesis,  they  both 
fell  and  were  restored  before  any  posterity  existed.  This  idea 
of  an  antecedent  restoration  is  what  the  author  has  endeavored  to 
meet. 

3 


26  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY. 

they  could  not  be  restored.  Thus,  take  away  the 
depravity  of  infants  and  you  find  no  occasion  for 
this  antecedent  restoration ;  admit  their  depravity 
and  it  is  manifest  they  are  not  restored. 

Secondly,  this  opinion  has  arisen  from  the  idea 
that  the  lapsed  powers  of  man  needed  to  be  repau'ed 
to  fit  him  for  a  state  of  probation.  Lapsed  powers 
repaired !  What  powers  had  lapsed  ?  Not  the 
ncdural  powers.  Who  will  prove  that  Satan  himself 
has  not  as  vigorous  an  U7ider standing  as  he  had  in 
heaven  ?  Will  and  affections  he  also  has,  and  is 
a  complete  moral  agent,  and  is  blamed  and  pun- 
ished for  sins  committed  since  his  fall,  —  for  se- 
ducing our  first  parents,  and  for  all  his  enterprises 
against  Christ  and  his  church.  Nothing  is  necessary 
to  turn  that  apostate  into  an  angel  of  light  but  a 
new  heart.  And  what  powers  had  men  lost  that 
needed  to  be  restored  ?  They  still  possessed  under- 
standing, will,  and  affections.  They  still  were  com- 
plete moral  agents,  with  full  ability  to  perform  their 
whole  duty,  if  rightly  disposed.  All  that  had 
befallen  them  was,  their  hearts  were  inclined  to  evil. 
But  how  could  this  be  remedied  except  by  making 
them  holy  ?  And  was  it  absolutely  necessary  to 
make  them  holy  before  putting  them  on  probation  ? 
The  very  object  of  the  probation  was  to  decide 
whether  they  ivould  be  holy.  For  this  trial,  what 
powers  could  they  want  but  enough  to  render  them 
moral  agents  ?  These  they  had ;  what  more  was  it 
possible  for  them  to  possess  ? 

The  fancy  of  an  antecedent  restoration  being  thus 


TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  27 

removed,  we  are  thrown  back  to  the  conclusion  that 
men  are  born  into  the  world  as  they  were  left  by  the 
fall  of  Adam,  in  a  state  of  total  depravity. 

III.  In  this  state  they  continued  till,  by  a  second 
creation  or  birth,  they  are  united  to  the  second  Adam 
and  become  partakers  of  his  holiness. 

In  this  position,  two  ideas  are  contained,  viz.  that 
the  new  creation  or  bnth  first  unites  them  to  Christ, 
and  that  till  this  union  they  remain  destitute  of  holi- 
ness. Both  of  these  positions  are  sustained  as  well 
by  analogy  as  Scripture. 

As  men  are  united  in  depravity  and  condemnation 
to  the  first  Adam  by  the  first  birth  or  creation^  analo- 
gy requii'es  that  they  should  be  united  in  holiness 
and  justification  to  the  second  Adam  by  nothing  less 
than  a  second  creation  or  birth.  As  they  do  not  share 
in  the  depravity  of  the  first  Adam  till  they  are  born  or 
created,  analogy  requires  that  they  should  not  share 
in  the  holiness  of  the  second  Adam  till  they  are  cre- 
ated or  born  again.  As  they  do  not  share  in  the  de- 
pravitij  of  the  first  Adam  earlier  than  they  partake  of 
his  condemnation^  (whatever  that  condemnation  im- 
plies,) analogy  requires  that  they  should  not  partake 
of  the  holiness  of  the  second  Adam  till  that  union  to 
him  by  which  they  become  completely  justified.  In 
a  word,  analogy  requires  the  new  creation  or  bii'th 
should  be  that  great  revolution  by  which  mankind 
become  first  united  to  Christ  in  holiness^  and  com- 
pletely united  to  him  in  justification. 

What  is  thus  suggested  by  analogy,  is  abundantly 
confirmed  by  Scripture.     That  teaches  us  that  men 


28  TOTAL   DErRAVlTY. 

are  first  united  to  Christ  by  the  new  creation  :  "  If 
any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature ; "  (then 
there  is  no  union  to  Christ  before  the  new  creation  :) 
"  "We  are  his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus, 
unto  good  works ; "  (then  there  is  no  new  creation 
earlier  than  a  union  to  Christ).  That  teaches  us 
that  until  the  new  creation  and  union  to  Christ  the 
old  nature  remains  entire,  and  that  a  nature  alto- 
gether new  is  at  that  time  imparted :  "  If  any  man  be 
in  Christ  he  is  a  new  creature ;  old  things  are  passed 
ai6Y/7/,  behold  all  things  are  become  neiv.^^  ^'Thet/ 
that  are  Christ s^  [and  if  the  assertion  has  any  mean- 
ing, Tzowe  &?/^  ^//pt/,]  have  crucified  the  y76'5/i."  Bj flesh 
is  meant  all  that  man  is  morally  by  the  flrst  birth  : 
"  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh^ —  None, 
therefore,  but  those  who  are  united  to  Christ,  have  be- 
gun to  crucify  the  nature  with  which  they  were  born. 
None  begin  to  "  put  off  the  old  mmn^''  till  they  begin  to 
"  put  on  the  neiv  ;  "  but  to  "  put  on  the  new  man,"  is 
to  become  "  a  neiv  creature.'*^  As  might  therefore  be 
expected,  the  two  bii'ths  are  represented  as  the  two 
sources,  if  I  may  so  say,  of  all  the  moral  qualities 
which  men  ever  possess.  The  whole  is  told  when  it 
is  said,  "  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh,  and 
that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit."  Hence,  un- 
der the  two  denominations  of  "flesh"  and  "  Spirit," 
(everywhere  set  in  the  strongest  opposition  to  each 
other,)  are  comprehended  all  the  moral  qualities  of 
the  human  race.  The  whole  warfare  between  con- 
tending principles  is  expressed  in  these  words:  "  The 
flesh  lusteth  against  the  Spirit  and  the  Spirit  against 


TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  29 

the  flesh,  and  these  are  contrary  the  one  to  the  other." 
Hence  mankind  are  represented  as  remaining  (under 
the  denomination  of  natural  men)  what  they  were  by 
nature,  till  they  become  spiritual  men  by  receiving 
the  Spirit  of  God :  "  The  natural  man  receiveth  not 
the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foolish- 
ness unto  him  ;  neither  can  he  know  them,  because 
they  are  spiritually  discerned;  but  he  that  is  spiritual 
judgeth  all  things."  And  hence  the  term  natural^ 
under  which  is  included  every  moral  quality  not  de- 
rived from  the  Spirit,  is  used  as  synonymous  with 
fleshly^  sensual^  wicked:  "  These  ["mockers,  —  who 
walk  after  their  own  ungodly  lusts,"  are]  natural^ 
having  not  the  Spiiit."  "  This  wisdom  descendeth  not 
from  above,  but  is  earthly,  natural^  devilish."  (John  iii. 
6  ;  1  Cor.  ii.  14, 15 ;  2  Cor.  v.  17  ;  Gal.  v.  17, 24 ;  Eph. 
ii.  10  ;  James  iii.  15  ;  Jude  19.) 

But  the  evidence  arising  from  the  new  creation,  or 
birth,  is  worthy  to  be  presented  in  the  form  of  a  dis- 
tinct argument,  and  in  this  shape  shall  appear  in  the 
following  lecture. 

3* 


LECTURE    II 


SAME  SUBJECT   CONTINUED. 
GENESIS  VI.  5. 

AND  GOD  SAW  THAT  THE  WICKEDNESS  OF  MAN  WAS  GREAT 
IN  THE  EARTH,  AND  THAT  EVERY  IMAGINATION  OF  THE 
THOUGHTS  OF  HIS  HEART  WAS  ONLY  EVIL  CONTINU- 
ALLY. 

Argument  11.  There  is  a  change  WTOught  in  the 
elect,  in  some  part  of  their  lives,  by  which  they  re- 
ceive the  first  holy  principle :  of  course,  they  pos- 
sessed no  holiness  before. 

That  this  change  introduces  the  first  holy  principle, 
is  apparent  from  the  names  by  which  it  is  called.  Of 
these,  the  most  remarkable  are  the  new  creation  and 
neio  birth.  If  these  names  are  not  utterly  insignifi- 
cant, they  import  the  beginning  of  life.  Now,  in 
the  language  of  Scripture,  spiritual  life  is  holiness, 
(Rom.  vi.  4 — 13  and  viii.  6, 10  and  xi.  15  ;  Eph.  ii.  1 ; 
Col.  iii.  8).  As  then  the  first  birth  or  creation  is  the 
beginning  of  natural  life,  the  new  creation  or  birth, 
if  these  terms  have  any  meaning,  must  be  the  begin- 
ning of  holiness.     To  say  that  these  names  denote  a 


TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  31 

progress  in  spiritual  life,  is  to  say  that  the  new  crea- 
tion or  birth  is  repeated  upon  Christians  every  day. 
But  why  call  a  progress  in  life  a  creation  or  birth, 
rather  than  by  any  other  name  to  be  found  in  lan- 
guage. To  be  consistent,  you  must  call  the  progress 
from  youth  to  manhood  a  creation  and  a  birth. 

The  very  phrases  neiv  creation  and  neic  birth  carry 
in  them  an  intimation  that  the  first  creation  or  bhth 
was  totally  defective,  and  must  be  entirely  done  over 
again ;  that  the  defect  can  be  remedied  by  no  other 
means ;  that  we  remain  what  the  first  creation  or 
birth  made  us,  until  new  made  and  new  born ;  and 
that  something  is  produced  in  this  change  which  did 
not  exist  before.  What  is  a  new  creation,  if  nothing 
new  is  created?  What  is  a  new  birth,  if  noihin^  new 
is  born  ? 

This  argument  must  be  conclusive,  if  the  terms 
under  consideration  really  denote  the  beginning  of 
spiritual  life  in  the  soul.  One  of  three  things  must  be 
true  :  they  denote  the  beginning  of  spiritual  life  in  the 
soul,  or  the  progress  of  that  life,  or  something  distinct 
from  inward  holiness.  To  apply  them  to  the  progress 
of  that  life,  is  exactly  like  calling  the  advance  from 
youth  to  manhood  a  creation  and  a  birth.  That  fancy 
must  be  given  up.  Only  this  alternative  then  remains : 
either  the  terms  denote  the  beginning  of  holiness  in 
the  soul^  (and  then  the  argument  is  irresistible,)  or 
they  denote  something  distinct  from  imvard  holiness. 
The  latter  has  been  asserted.  The  only  way  attempted 
to  avoid  the  force  of  this  argument,  has  been  to  allege 
that  nothing  more  is  meant  by  the  new  creation  than 


32  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY. 

a  conversion  from  pagan  or  Jewish  darkness  to  the 
profession  of  Christianity ;  and  nothing  more  by  the 
new  birth,  than  an  introduction  to  the  visible  church 
by  baptism.  The  decisive  question  to  be  tried,  then, 
is  this :  Do  these  terms  denote  the  production  of  real 
holiness  of  heart,  or  a  mere  introduction  to  the  visi- 
ble church  from  a  pagan,  Jewish,  or  Gospel  state  ? 

Before  putting  this  question  to  trial,  I  will  make 
two  preliminary  remarks. 

First :  if  these  and  other  terms  of  similar  import 
were  used  in  primitive  times  to  denote  that  revolu- 
tion which  took  place  at  the  translation  of  men  from 
pagan  or  Jeivish  darkness  and  sin  into  the  light  and 
holiness  of  the  Christian  state,  it  is  not  necessary  to 
suppose  that  they  expressed  merely  or  chiefly  the  out- 
ivard  change.  If  they  were  applied,  in  the  absolute 
form,  to  visible  Christians  ;  if  in  the  lips  of  men  they 
even  became  proper  names  of  what  was  apparent  to 
the  eye  in  the  Christian  character ;  it  is  natural  to  sup- 
pose that  they  were  used,  not  to  denote  a  hypocritical 
shoiv^  but  to  distinguish  what  was  deemed  an  ex- 
pression and  evidence  of  the  change  within.  "When 
we  point  to  the  visible  figure  of  a  human  being  and 
call  it  a  man.,  we  do  not  mean  to  overlook  the  soul, 
that  chiefly  constitutes  him  such.  If  there  is  such  a 
thing  as  inward  holiness,  there  is  such  a  thing  as 
outward  holiness  ;  and,  in  the  languages  of  men,  the 
outward  and  inward  character  will  be  called  by  the 
sam^  name.  We  daily  speak,  in  the  absolute  form, 
of  men's  conversion,  without  meaning  to  say  that 
conversion  is  a  mere  visible  change.    We  call  a  man 


TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  33 

who  is  externally  good,  a  good  man,  and  one  who 
makes  a  credible  profession  of  Christianity,  a  Chris- 
tian ;  though  we  know  that  these  names  imply  and 
chiefly  express  an  inward  character.  Honest  inan^ 
friend^  and  all  the  terms  descriptive  of  character,  are 
daily  used  in  the  same  way.  And  because  you  apply 
such  appellations  to  men  whose  hearts  you  cannot 
know,  is  it  to  be  inferred  that  there  are  honest  7nen 
and  friends  who  are  not  so  in  heart  ?  K  the  visible 
churches,  to  whom  the  Epistles  were  written,  were 
called  "saints,"  "  holy  brethren,"  "faithful,"  "beloved 
of  God,"  "elect,"  "justified,"  sanctified  in  Christ  Je- 
sus," "partakers  of  the  Divine  nature,"  "  children  of 
God,"  "  joint  heirs  with  Christ,"  it  is  not  necessary 
to  suppose  that  these  titles  denoted  merely  an  out- 
ward character  and  condition.  Nor  can  they  be  so 
understood,  unless  Christianity  is  altogether  an  out- 
side thing,  in  no  degree  intended  to  cleanse  the  foun- 
tain of  action,  or  form  the  temper  for  a  future  life. 

Secondly  :  if  the  terms  under  consideration  really 
denoted  an  imvard  change  in  Jeivs  and  pagans^  the 
same  change  must  be  wrought  in  people  in  a  Gospel 
land,  unless  they  already  possessed  the  temper  denoted 
by  the  terms.  If  any  can  be  found  who  are  not  what 
is  really  intended  by  new  creatures  and  yieiv  born,  it 
is  plain  that  they  must  be  created  and  born  anew. 
But  whether  all  the  inhabitants  of  Christendom,  or 
even  all  within  the  pale  of  the  Christian  church,  do 
possess  such  a  character,  will  appear  when  the  im- 
port of  these  terms  comes  to  be  examined. 

Now  for  the  trial  of  the  question :   Do  the  terms 


34  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY. 

new  creation  and  new  birth  denote  the  production  of 
real  holiness  of  hearty  or  a  mere  introduction  to  the 
visible  church  from  a  pagan,  Jewish,  or  Gospel  state  ? 
Let  us  examine  the  two  phrases  separately. 

First :  of  the  new  creation.  It  is  by  this  operation 
that  the  "new  creature,"  or  "new  man,"  is  formed. 
What  account,  then,  have  we  of  the  new  creature, 
or  new  man? 

To  be  a  new  creature  is  to  be  in  Christ:  "  We  are 
his  workmanship  created  in  Christ  Jesus."  Unless, 
then,  a  union  to  the  visible  church  actually  unites 
one  to  Christ,  something  more  is  meant  by  the  new 
creation.  It  is  absolutely  necessary  to  be  a  new 
creature  in  order  to  be  in  Christ :  "  If  any  man  be  in 
Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature."  Unless,  then,  a  union 
to  the  visible  church  is  essential  to  a  union  with  Christ, 
something  more  is  meant  by  the  new  creation.  (2  Cor. 
V.  17  ;   Eph.  ii.  10.) 

Here  let  us  settle,  once  for  all,  what  is  meant  by 
being  in  Christ.  To  be  in  Christ  is  to  be  so  im- 
mured, as  it  were,  in  him  as  to  be  completely  shel- 
tered from  condemnation:  "There  is,  now,  no  con- 
demnation to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus. ''^  It 
is  to  be  "  members  of  his  body,  of  his  flesh,  and  of  his 
bones."  "  So  we,  being  many,  are  one  body  in  Christ.''^ 
It  is  to  have  a  sure  title  to  all  the  promises.  The 
promises  were  all  made  to  Christ,  and  are  repre- 
sented as  laid  up  in  him  for  all  who  are  there  in- 
closed :  "  To  Abraham  and  his  Seed  were  the  prom- 
ises made —  He  saith  not.  And  to  seeds,  as  of  many, 
but  as  of  One,  and  to  thy  Seed,  which  is  Christ." 


TOTAL   DEPEAYITY.  35 

"  That  the  Gentiles  should  be  fellow  heirs  and  of  the 
same  body,  and  partakers  of  his  promise  in  Christ^ 
"  For  all  the  promises  of  God  in  him  are  yea  and  in 
him  amen."  To  be  in  Christ  is  to  be  in  him  as  in  a 
house,  which  will  inclose  us  after  all  yisible  churches 
shall  cease,  —  which  will  inclose  us  when  we  lie  in 
the  grave  and  when  we  rise.  The  apostle  speaks  of 
those  who  had  "  fallen  asleep  in  Christ,''^  and  says 
that  "  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first."  In  short, 
this  was  a  common  expression  used  by  the  apostles 
to  denote  the  union  of  real  Christians  to  Christ. 
(Rom.  viii.  1  and  xii.  5  ;  2  Cor.  i.  20,  21  and  xii.  2  ; 
Gal.  i.  22  ;  1  Thess.  iv.  16.)  And  all  this  is  implied 
in  being  a  neiu  creature. 

To  be  a  new  creature  is  to  possess  that  faith  which 
worketh  by  love  and  avails  to  salvation.  Compare 
the  two  following  texts,  standing  near  each  other  in 
the  same  Epistle :  "  For  in  Christ  Jesus  neither  cir- 
cumcision availeth  anything  nor  uncircumcision,  but 
a  new  creature^  "  For  in  Jesus  Christ  neither  circum- 
cision availeth  anything,  nor  uncircumcision,  but/a?7/i 
which  ivorketh  by  lovey  (Gal.  v.  6  ;  vi.  15.)  Again, 
as  far  as  the  new  creation  proceeds,  it  annihilates  the 
nature  with  which  we  were  born,  and  produces  some- 
thing entnely  new  :  "  If  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is 
a  new  creature  ;  old  things  are  passed  awaij^  behold 
ALL  things  are  become  neiuy  (2  Cor.  v.  17.)  Again, 
to  become  a  new  creature,  or  new  man,  is  to  be  de- 
livered from  the  power  of  sin,  and  to  be  made  holy 
in  heart  and  life :  "  We  are  his  workmanship,  created 


36  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY. 

in  Christ  Jesus  unto  g-ood  ivorksy  "  Our  old  man  is 
crucified  with  him,  tliat  the  hody  of  sin  might  be  de- 
stroyed.^^ (Eph.  ii.  10  ;  Rom.  vi.  6.)  "  Lie  not  one  to 
another,  seeing  ye  have  put  off"  the  old  man  with  his 
deeds j  and  have  put  on  the  neiu  ??irt/i,  which  is  reneived 
in  knowledge  after  the  image  of  hiini  that  cre- 
ated HIM."  What  more  do  you  require  ?  Show  me, 
you  say,  a  text  which  plainly  declares  that  the  new 
creation  produces  true  holiness.  That  text  you  shall 
see.  "  That  ye  put  off,  concerning  the  former  conver- 
sation, the  old  ma/z,  which  is  corrupt  according  to  the 
deceitful  lusts,  and  be  reneived  in  the  spirit  of  your 
minds  ;  and  that  ye  put  on  the  neio  man,  which, 
after  God,  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true 
HOLINESS."  (Eph.  iv.  22—24  ;  Col.  iii.  9, 10.) 

If  these  texts  do  not  establish  the  point  that  the 
new  creation  is  something  more  than  a  change  in  the 
ouiivard  character  and  condition,  —  if  to  be  renewed 
in  the  spirit  of  our  mind,  after  the  image  of  him  that 
created  us,  —  if,  after  God,  to  be  created  in  righteous- 
ness  and  true  holiness,  does  not  mean  to  be  made  holy 
as  he  is  holy,  it  is  impossible  to  express  that  idea  in 
language.     Let  us  now  turn. 

Secondly  :  to  the  new  birth.  The  meaning  of  this 
phrase  cannot  be  mistaken  if  you  attend  to  the  figure 
as  it  is  carried  out  in  the  cause,  means,  and  effects. 
The  subjects  of  the  neiv  birth  are  begotten  of  God, 
by  the  incorruptible  seed  of  the  word,  —  are  born  his 
children,  the  seed  of  Christ,  the  heirs  of  God,  and 
joint  heirs  w4th  his  Son.     That  all  these  terms  are 


TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  87 

only  the  expansion  of  the  same  figure^  and  refer  to 
one  and  the  same  change,  will  be  seen  by  a  single 
glance  at  the  following  texts  : 

"Whosoever  believeth,  is  horn  oi  God;  and  every 
one  that  loveth  him  that  begat ^  loveth  him  also  that 
is  begotten  of  him.  By  this  w^e  know  that  we  love 
the  children  of  God,  when  we  love  God." 

"  Whosoever  is  born  of  God,  doth  not  commit  sin  ; 
for  his  seed  remaineth  in  him,  and  he  cannot  sin  be- 
cause he  is  born  of  God.  In  this  the  children  of  God 
are  manifest,  and  the  children  of  the  devil."  (1  John 
iii.  9,  10  ;   V.  1,  2.) 

"  To  them  gave  he  power  to  become  the  sons  of 
God  ;  which  were  born^  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will 
of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God." 
(John  i.  12,  13.) 

"  The  children  of  the  promise  are  counted  for  the 
seedy  (Rom.  ix.  8.) 

"  If  children  then  heirs ^  heirs  of  God  ^nd  joint  heirs 
with  Christ."  (Rom.  viii.  17.) 

"  He  saved  us  by  the  washing  of  regeneration^  — 
that  —  we  should  be  made  heirs^  (Titus  iii.  5 — 7.) 

"  According  to  his  abundant  mercy  [he]  hath  6e- 
gottenns  again  —  to  an  inheritance  incoiTuptible ;  — 
born  again,  not  of  corruptible  seed  but  of  incorrup- 
tible, by  the  word  of  God."  (1  Pet.  i.  3,  4,  23.) 

Thus  to  be  begotten  and  born  of  God,  is  to  be  made 
his  children,ihe  seed  of  Christ,  and  the  heirs  of  glory. 
K  then  to  be  the  children  of  God,  the  seed  of  Christ, 
and  the  heirs  of  glory,  implies  anything  more  than  an 
outivard  character  and  condition,  —  if  all  this  implies 
4 


38  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY. 

real  holiness,  to  be  horn  again  implies  the  same. 
Pray  are  none  the  children  of  God,  the  seed  of  Christ, 
and  the  heirs  of  glory,  in  a  higher  sense  than  as 
members  of  the  visible  church  ?  If  they  are,  is  that 
higher  sense  anywhere  expressed  in  the  Bible  ?  If  it 
is,  in  ivhat  terms,  unless  in  those  now  under  consid- 
eration ?  But  if  in  the  true  and  proper  meaning  of 
these  terms  the  higher  sense  is  contained,  then  when 
they  are  applied  to  the  visible  church  they  are  applied 
to  it  as  visibly  possessing  this  character.  Thus  we 
every  day  call  a  visible  church  a  collection  of  ChriS' 
tians,  without  meaning  to  say  that  the  whole  Chris- 
tian character  is  an  outside  thing.  But  in  whatever 
sense  men  are  the  childi'en  of  God,  the  seed  of  Christ, 
and  the  heirs  of  glory,  whether  visibly  or  really,  in 
the  same  sense  and  no  other  are  they  begotten  and 
born  of  God.  But  to  limit  the  meaning  of  the  new 
birth  to  a  relation  to  the  visible  chm'ch,  is  to  say  that 
men  are  really  nnd  in  the  highest  sense  born  of  God 
when  they  only  visibly  become  his  children  and  heirs. 

Let  us  now  descend  to  a  more  particular  examina- 
tion of  the  meaning  of  these  terms,  begotten  and  born 
of  God,  children  of  God,  and  seed  of  Christ. 

Begotten  and  born  of  God.  These  terms  denote  a 
change  absolutely  necessary  to  salvation ;  and  that  is 
more  than  any  of  us  would  be  willing  to  say  of  a 
union  with  the  visible  church.  "  Verily,  verily  I  say 
unto  thee.  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see 
the  kingdom  of  God."  They  denote  such  a  change 
as  took  place  in  Paul,  not  when  he  was  baptized,  but 
when  he  feU  on  the  plains  of  Damascus  :  "  Last  of  all 


TOTAL  DEPRAVITY.  39 

he  was  seen  of  me  also,  as  of  one  born  out  of  due 
time,"  They  denote  a  change  which  to  Nicodemus 
appeared,  after  Christ  himself  had  explained  it,  alto- 
gether mysterious^  —  a  change  wrought  by  the  Spirit 
of  God^  by  operations  which  can  no  more  be  seen  or 
calculated  on  or  accounted  for  than  the  motions  of 
the  wind.  "  Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  thee,  Except  a 
man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot 
enter  into  the  Idngdom  of  God.  —  The  wind  bloweth 
wrhere  it  listeth,  and  thou  hearest  the  sound  thereof, 
but  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh  and  whither  it 
goeth ;  so  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirits* 
(John  iii.  3 — 9  ;  James  i.  18.)  "  Of  his  own  will  be- 
gat he  us."  "  Which  were  born,  not  of  blood,  nor  of 
the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  ivillof  man,  [certainly, 
then,  not  merely  by  entering  the  church,]  but  of  God.^^ 
The  terms  import  the  production  of  that  faith  which 
accepts  Christ  and  triumphs  over  the  world:  "As  many 
as  received  him  to  them  gave  he  power  to  become 
the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe  on  his 
name  ;  which  were  born  —  of  God."  (John  i.  12, 13.) 
"  Whosoever  believeth  [truly]  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ 
is  born  of  God.  —  Whosoever  is  born  of  God  over- 
cometh  the  world,  and  this  is  the  victory  that  over- 
cometh  the  world,  even  oiu*  faith.  —  Who  is  he  that 
over  cometh  the  icorld,  but  he  that  believeth  that  Jesus 
is  the  Son  of  God  ?  The  terms  import  the  produc- 
tion of  that  love  which  is  "the  fulfilling  of  the  law," 
and  that  knowledge  of  God  which  is  "  eternal  life." 
"  Every  one  that  loveth  is  born  of  God  and  knoiveth 
GodP    The  terms  import  a  deliverance  from  sin  and 


40  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY. 

the  production  of  real  holiness :  "  Whoever  is  bo?'n 
of  God  doth  not  commit  sin,  for  his  seed  remaineth 
in  him,  and  he  cannot  sin  because  he  is  born  of 
Gody  "  We  know  that  whosoever  is  born  of  God 
sinneth  not;  but  he  that  is  born  of  God  keepeth 
himself  and  that  wicked  one  toucheth  him  noty  (1 
John  iii.  9,  10 ;  iv.  7 ;  v.  1 — 18.)  "  Ye  have  purified 
your  souls  in  obeying  the  truth  through  the  Spirit  unto 
unfeigned  love  of  the  brethren — being  born  again. 

—  Wherefore  —  as  neio  born  babes  desire  the  sincere 
milk  of  the  word.  —  Ye  also  as  living  stones  are 
built  up  a  spiritual  house,  a  holy  priesthood,  to  ofier 
up  spiritual  sacrifices  acceptable  to  God  by  Jesus 
Christ.       Unto   you  therefore  which   believe  he  is 

precious.  Ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal  priest- 
hood, a  holy  nation."  Of  course  these  terms  import 
the  restoration  of  the  divine  image  :  "  If  ye  know 
that  he  is  righteous,  ye  know  that  every  one  that 
doth  righteousness  is  born  of  him.^''  "  Every  one 
that  loveth  him  that  begat,  loveth  him  also  that  is 
begotten  of  him,"  on  account  of  the  resemblance. 
Finally,  these  terms  import  an  unfailing  title  to  ever- 
lasting  glory :  "  He  saved  us  with  the  washing  of 
regeneration  and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  — 
that  being  justified  by  his  grace  we  should  be  made 
heirs  according  to  the  hope  of  eternal  life."  "  Elect 
according  to  the  foreknowledge  of  God  the  Father, 

—  who  hath  begotten  us  again  —  to  an  inheritance^ 
reserved  in  heaven  for  you  icho  are  kept  by  the  power 
of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation.'*^  (Titus  iii.  5, 
7  ;  1  Pet.  i.  2—5,  23 ;  1  John  ii.  29.) 


TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  41 

That  all  these  ideas  are  really  contained  in  the 
terms  begotten  and  born  of  God^  is  still  more  appa- 
rent from  the  description  given  of 

The  children  of  God.  These  are  they  who  bear 
the  image  of  God,  (a  leading  idea  suggested  by  the 
figure,)  —  the  image  of  God  upon  their  hearts  as 
well  as  lives.  "  Love  your  enemies,  bless  them  that 
curse  you,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you,  and  pray  for 
them  which  despitefully  use  you  and  persecute  you ; 
that  ye  may  be  the  cJiildren  of  your  Father  ivhich 
is  in  heaven^  for  he  maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the 
evil  and  the  good,  and  sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and 
on  the  unjust."  (Mat.  v.  44,  45  ;  Luke  vi.  35,  36.) 
"  Be  ye  theicef ore  followers  of  God  as  dear  childreny 
Of  course  the  children  of  God  are  holy,  (in  some 
measure,)  as  he  is  holy  :  "  Whosoever  is  born  of 
God  doth  not  commit  sin.  —  In  this  the  children  of 
God  are  manifest,  and  the  children  of  the  devil." 
"  The  good  seed  are  the  children  of  the  kingdom,  but 
the  tares,  [false  professors,]  are  the  children  of  the 
wicked  o/ie."  (Mat.  xii.  38.)  "  As  obedient  children, 
not  fashioning  yourselves  according  to  the  former 
xusts  ;  —  but  as  he  is  holy  so  be  ye  holy."  "  Accord- 
ing as  he  hath  chosen  us — before  the  foundation  of 
the  world,  that  we  should  be  holy  and  ivithout  blame 
before  him  in  love,  having  predestinated  us  unto 
the  adoption  of  children.^^  The  children  of  God 
possess  the  filial  temper,  and  are  led  by  his  Spirit 
which  ivitnesses  to  their  adoption  :  "  As  many  as  are 
led  by  the  Spirit  of  God  they  are  the  Sons  of  God. 
(Rom.  viii.  14  —  17,  21,  23;  ix.  8.)  For  ye  have 
.       4* 


42  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY. 

not  received  the  spirit  of  bondage  again  to  fear,  but 
ye  have  received  the  spirit  of  adoption  ivhereby  we 
cry,  Abba  Father  !  The  Spirit  itself  beareth  ivitness 
with  our  spirit  that  we  are  the  children  of  GodP 
"Because  ye  are  sons  God  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit 
of  his  Son  into  your  hearts,  crying,  Abba  Father.^^ 
The  children  of  God  are  constituted  such  by  faith  in 
Christ:  "  As  many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave 
he  power  to  become  the  S07ts  of  God,  even  to  them 
that  believe  on  his  name."  "  Ye  are  all  the  children 
of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesiis^  The  children  of 
God  are  redeemed,  forgiven,  accepted :  "  Having 
predestinated  us  unto  the  adoption  of  children,  —  to 
the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace,  wherein  he  hath 
made  us  accepted  in  the  Beloved ;  in  whom  we  have 
redemption  through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness  of 
sins^  Of  course  the  children  of  God  are  the  objects 
of  his  tenderest  love :  "  Whom  the  Lord  loveth  he 
chasteneth,  and  scourgeth  every  son  whom  he  re- 
ceiveth.  If  ye  endure  chastening,  God  dealeth  with 
you  as  with  sons.-^  The  children  of  God  are  entitled 
to  all  the  promises  :  —  "  The  children  of  the  flesh, 
these  are  not  the  children  of  God,  but  the  children 
of  the  promise  are  counted  for  the  seed."  "  Now  we, 
brethren,  as  Isaac  was,  are  the  children  of  the  prom- 
ise. "  To  Abraham  and  his  Seed  were  the  promises 
madt\  —  Ye  are  all  the  children  of  God  by  faith  in 
Christ  Jesus :  —  and  if  ye  be  Christ's,  then  are  ye 
Abraham's  seed  and  heirs  according  to  the  promise. 
(Gal.  iii.  7—29.)  Finally,  the  chikben  of  God  will 
iftherit  eternal  glory,  and  will  bear  this  name  when 


TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  43 

all  visible  churches  are  no  more  :  "  If  children  then 
heirs,  heirs  of  God  and  joint  heirs  ivith  Christ^  "  If 
a  son  then  an  heir  of  God  through  Christ."  "  In  the 
resurrection  —  they  are  equal  unto  the  angels  and 
are  the  children  of  God,  being  the  children  of  the 
resurrection."  "  The  creature  itself  also  shall  be 
delivered  from  the  bondage  of  corruption  into  the 
glorious  liberty  of  the  childreyi  of  God^^  Indeed,  as 
Christians  will  then  enter  into  the  fuU  possession  of 
their  inheritance,  this  investiture,  which  is  regarded 
as  the  consummation  of  their  sonship,  is  called  by 
way  of  eminence  their  adoption  :  "  We  ourselves 
groan  within  ourselves,  waiting  for  the  adoption,  to 
wit,  the  rede7nption  of  our  body^  (Eph.  i.  4 — 7  ;  v. 
1 ;  Heb.  xii.  6,  7  ;  1  Pet.  i.  14, 15  ;  1  John  iii.  9, 10.) 

Such  is  the  account  given  us  of  the  children  of 
God;  and  a  similar  description  is  given  of 

The  seed  of  Christ.  This  appellation  distinguishes 
a  class  of  men  who  were  promised  to  Christ  as  the 
fruit  of  "  the  travail  of  his  soul,"  and  are  called  "  the 
holy  seed,"  "  a  seed  that  serve  him,"  "  the  seed  which 
the  Lord  hath  blessed,"  an  "  elect"  seed  born  to  possess 
the  inheritance,  a  seed  which  shall  be  established  for- 
ever, and  though  chastened,  never  forsaken  on  ac- 
count of  their  sins.  Being  the  seed  of  him  in  whom 
centred  all  the  promises  made  to  Abraham,  they 
inherit  a  sure  title  to  all  covenant  blessing's  :  "  It  is 
of  faith  that  it  might  be  of  grace,  to  the  end  the 
promise  might  be  sure  to  all  the  seed."  "  They  are  not 
all  Israel  which  are  of  Israel ;  [x\^ot  all  seed  who 
BELONG  TO   THE   VISIBLE    CHURCH;] — that   is,  they 


44  TOTAL    DEPRAVITY. 

which  are  the  children  of  the  flesh,  these  are  not 
the  children  of  God,  but  the  children  of  the  promise 
are  counted  for  the  seed.''^  (Ps.  xxii.  80  and  Lxxxix. 
4,  29  — 37  ;  Isa.  vi..l3  and  liii.  10,  11  and  Ixv.  9  ; 
Rom.  iv.  16  and  ix.  6,  8  ;  Gal.  iii.  16,  29.) 

After  the  Scriptures  have  spoken  in  this  sort,  is  it 
not  worse  than  trifling  to  say  that  new  creature^  be^ 
gotten  of  God,  new-born,  children  of  God,  seed  of  Christ, 
express  nothing  more  than  a  relation  to  the  visible 
church  ?  That  these  terms,  like  all  others  descriptive 
of  holy  character,  are  applied  to  visible  churches, 
is  not  denied ;  but  it  is  on  the  presumption  that  they 
are  what  they  profess  to  be.  Is  it  not  the  strangest 
fancy  that  ever  was  conceived,  that  because  such 
terTns  are  applied  to  visible  churches,  they  express  no 
more  than  an  outivard  character  and  condition  ?  Be- 
cause you  call  members  of  the  visible  church  Chris- 
tians, is  it  to  be  inferred  that  men  are  real  Christians 
icithout  a  holy  heart  ? 

Thus  it  appears  that  the  new  creation  or  new  birth 
implies  the  production  of  real  holiness  of  heart,  or 
spiritual  life.  If  then  the  terms  have  any  significancy, 
they  import  the  beginning'  of  that  life.  If  so,  there 
was  no  holiness  before.  And  this  conclusion,  drawn 
from  the  plain  meaning  of  the  terms,  is  confirmed  by 
the  tenor  of  the  numerous  texts  which  have  been 
cited. 

Argument  III.  The  Scriptures,  in  a  variety 
of  forms,  plainly  assert  the  doctrine  of  total  de- 
pravity. 

1.  The  manner  in  which  they  speak  of  man,  the 


TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  45 

sons  of  7nen,  and  the  world,  is  as  if  these  terms  stood 
for  nothing  but  sinners,  —  as  if  nothing  but  sin  was 
inherent  in  human  nature  :  "  The  way  of  man  is  fro- 
ward  and  strange."  "  How  much  more  abominable 
and  filthy  is  7)ian,  which  drinketh  iniquity  like  water." 
"  Do  ye  judge  uprightly,  O  ye  sons  of  men  ?  yea,  in 
heart  you  work  wickedness  ;  you  weigh  the  violence 
of  your  hands  in  the  earth."  "  My  soul  is  among  lions, 
and  I  lie  even  among  them  that  are  set  on  fire,  even 
THE  SONS  OF  MEN,  whosc  tectli  are  spears  and  arrows, 
and  their  tongue  a  sharp  sword."  (Pro v.  xxi.  8  ;  Job 
XV.  16  ;  Ps.  Ivii.  4  ;  Iviii.  1,  2.)  A  direct  opposition 
is  everywhere  set  up  between  God  and  ma/z,  God  and 
the  icorld,  Christ  and  the  world :  "  Get  thee  behind 
me,  Satan ;  for  thou  savorest  not  the  things  that  be 
of  Godj  but  the  things  that  be  of  me/^."  (Mark  viii.  33.) 
"  We  have  received,  not  the  spkit  of  the  world,  but 
the  Spkit  which  is  of  God:'  (1  Cor.  ii.  .12.)  "  We 
know  that  we  are  of  God,  and  the  wliole  world  lieth  in 
toickednessP  (1  John  v.  19.)  "  I  have  given  them  thy 
word,  and  the  world  hath  hated  them,  because  they 
are  not  of  the  ivorld,  even  as  I  am  not  of  the  ivorldP 
"  If  the  world  hate  you,  ye  know  that  it  hated  me 
before  it  hated  you.  If  ye  were  of  the  world,  the  world 
would  love  his  own  ;  but  because  you  are  not  of  the 
vjorld,  but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  there- 
fore the  icorld  hateth  you."  (John  xv.  18,  19  ;  xvii. 
14, 15.)  Hence  the  epithets  worldly  and  earthly  are 
used  to  express  qualities  altogether  wicked :  "  Un- 
godliness and  worldly  lusts."      "  This  wisdom  de- 


46  TOTAL  DEPRAVITY. 

scendeth  not  from  above,  but  is  earthly^  sensual, 
devilish."  (Titus  ii.  12;  James  iii.  15.) 

2.  The  promises  of  the  Gospel  are  made  to  the  least 
degree  of  holiness^  and  the  threatenings  of  death  are 
denounced  against  nothing  less  than  an  utter  ivant  of 
holiness. 

Such  is  the  tenor  of  the  promises.  "  Whosoever 
shall  give  to  drink  unto  one  of  these  little  ones  a  cup 
of  cold  ivater  only.,  in  the  name  of  a  disciple,  verily  I 
say  unto  you,  he  shall  in  no  wise  lose  his  reward." 
"All  things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love 
GodJ''  in  the  least  degree.  "  He  that  loveth  me.,  \at  a//,] 
shall  be  loved  of  my  Father,  and  I  will  love  him." 
"  Repent  and  be  baptised,  every  one  of  you,  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  remission  of  sins,  [no 
particular  degree  of  repentance  is  specified,]  and  ye 
shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  "  He  that 
believeth.)  [ever  so  feebly^]  shall  be  saved." 

Such,  also,  is  the  tenor  of  the  threatenings.  "  Fol- 
low—  holiness,  icithont  ivhich  [that  is,  if  it  is  entirely 
wanting]  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord."  "  If  any  man 
love  NOT  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be  anathema 
maranatha."  "  Except  ye  repent^  [in  some  degree^]  ye 
shall  all  likewise  perish."  "  He  that  belie veth  not, 
shall  be  damned."  * 

*  Matt.  X.  42  ;  Mark  xvl.  16  ;  Luke  xiii.  3  ;  John  xlv.  21; 
Acts  ii.  38  ;  Rom.  viii.  28  ;  1  Cor.  xvi.  22  ;  Heb.  xii.  14.  If  it 
be  said  that  the  terms  which  express  the  conditions  of  these 
promises  and  denunciations  are  all  descriptive  of  general  char- 
acter, (like  the  texts  referred  to  in  the  Third  Lecture,)  the  au- 


TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  47 

None,  therefore,  but  those  who  are  freed  from  the 
threatenings  of  death  and  have  a  title  to  the  promises 
of  life,  possess  a  particle  of  holiness. 

Before  I  proceed  fm-ther,  allow  me  to  remind  you 
of  one  fact,  with  which  you  cannot  be  unacquainted. 
The  Scriptures  divide  mankind  into  two  classes, — 
the  good  and  the  bad,  the  righteous  and  the  wicked, 

thor  concedes  that  they  may  be  so  understood  without  giving 
a  wrong  view  of  the  promises  and  threatenings  ;  because  men 
who  love,  repent,  or  believe,  in  the  least  degree,  do  the  same  ha- 
bitually. But  while  some  passages  almost  expressly  speak  of  gen- 
eral character,  and  are  evidently  confined  to  that  view,  (as  those 
cited  In  the  Third  Lecture,)  many  of  the  promises  and  threaten- 
ings are  so  constructed  as  plainly  to  imply  that  those  who  are  not 
entitled  to  the  one  but  are  exposed  to  the  other,  are  entirely  des- 
titute of  holiness.  Indeed  by  a  union  of  indejiniteness  (which  by 
omitting  the  notice  of  degrees  suggests  the  idea  of  general  char- 
acter) with  expUcitness^  (by  which  the  utter  destitution  of  the 
wicked  is  sufficiently  expressed,)  they  seem  to  have  been  con- 
structed on  purpose  to  hold  out  this  precise  proposition,  that  they 
who  are  7iot  holy  in  their  general  character  possessed  no  holiness  at  all. 
The  general  and  sweeping  tenor,  for  instance,  of  the  promises  and 
threatenings  above  quoted,  in  which  no  degrees  of  holiness  are 
marked,  but  a  distinct  line  of  separation  is  drawn  between  those 
who  love  and  those  who  love  "  not" —  those  who  repent  and  those 
who  repent "  not" — those  who  believe  and  those  who  believe  "  not" 
—  those  who  possess  and  those  who  are  "  without  holiness,"  evi- 
dently implies  that  they  whose  general  character  is  not  marked 
with  love,  repentance,  and  faith,  are  utterly  destitute  of  these  and 
every  other  holy  principle.  —  And  If  this  Is  allowed  to  be  their 
language,  they  only  assert  what  the  great  body  of  Scripture  abun- 
dantly confirms. 


48  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY. 

natural  men  and  spiritual  men,  believers  and  unbe- 
lievers, those  who  are  in  Christ  and  those  who  are  out, 
the  justified  and  the  condemned,  the  heirs  of  heaven 
and  the  heirs  of  hell.  There  is  not  a  third  class. 
With  this  fact  before  me,  I  remark : 

3.  A  number  of  the  most  'simple  and  essential 
properties  of  a  holy  nature  are  particularly  specified, 
and  are  declared  not  to  belong  to  the  class  denomi- 
nated wicked.  This  class  possess  no  love  to  God  or 
Christ.  The  proof  of  this  I  shall  reserve  for  the  next 
lecture.  This  class  have  no  desire  after  God :  "  The 
wicked  —  say  unto  God,  depart  from  us,  for  we  de- 
sire not  the  knowledge  of  thy  ways."  They  have  no 
desire  after  Christ:  he  is,  to  them,  "  as  a  root  out  of  a 
diy  ground  ;  he  hath  no  form  nor  comeliness,  and 
when  [they]  —  see  him,  there  is  no  beauty  that  [they] 
should  desire  him."  They  do  not  seek  God  :  "  The 
wicked,  through  the  pride  of  his  countenance,  ivill 
not  seek  after  God.^^  If  there  should  be  any  doubt 
who  are  meant  by  the  wicked  that  do  not  seek  God, 
the  Psalmist  will  resolve  it  at  once  :  —  "  The  Lord 
looked  down  from  heaven  upon  the  children  of  men 
to  see  if  there  were  any  that  did  —  seek  God.  They 
are  all  gone  aside  ;"  "  there  is  none  that  seeketh  after 
God."*^  This  class  do  not  fear  God,  though  "  the 
fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  beginning  of  loisdom  ;"  "  The 
transgi-ession  of  the  wicked  saith  within  my  heart, 
that  there  is  no  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes."  And 
to  show  infallibly  that  by  the  wicked,  in  this  and  other 
similar  passages,  are  meant  the  whole  race  of  natu- 
ral men,  the  apostle  in  the  3d  chapter  of  Romans 


TOTAL  DEPRAVITY.  49 

quotes  these  very  words,  and  other  things  alleged 
against  the  ivicked  in  the  Old  Testament,  as  asserted 
of  all  natural  men,  and  intended  to  prove  that  "  both 
Jews  and  Gentiles  —  are  all  under  sin,'^  (that  "  every 
mouth  may  be  stopped,  and  all  the  world  may  be- 
come guilty  before  God,")  and  that  "  by  the  deeds 
of  the  law  —  no  flesh  [can]  be  justified."  This  class 
do  not  knoiu  God :  "  O,  righteous  Father,  the  world 
hath  7iot  known  theeP  "  These  things  will  they  [the 
world]  do  unto  you  for  my  name's  sake  because  they 
know  not  him  that  sent  meP  This  class  are  ichoUy  un- 
acquainted with  the  way  of  life  :  "  The  way  of  peace 
have  they  not  knoiun  :  Hence  in  allusion  to  the  con- 
version of  sinners  it  is  said,  "  I  will  bring  the  blind 
by  a  way  that  they  knoio  not ;  I  will  lead  them  in 
paths  that  they  have  not  knoivn.^^  This  class  have  no 
discernment^  or  understandings  or  right  knowledge  of 
divine  tilings  :  "  We  speak  —  not  the  wisdom  of  this 
worlds  —  but  the  wisdom  of  God  in  a  mystery,  — 
which  none  of  the  princes  of  this  world  knew ;  —  as 
it  is  \™tten.  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  nei- 
ther have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man^  the  things 
which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  him ; 
but  God  hath  revealed  them  unto  us  by  his  Spirit. — 
For  what  man  knoweth  the  things  of  a  man^  save  the 
s'pirit  of  man  which  is  in  him  ?  Even  so,  the  things 
of  God  knoweth  no  man,  but  the  Spirit  of  God.  —  But 
the  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him ;  neither 
can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually  dis- 
cernedy  "  My  people  is  foolish,  they  have  not  known 
5 


56  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY. 

mc;  they  are  sottish  children,  they  have  none  'under- 
standinsry  "  The  Lord  looked  down  from  heaven 
upon  the  children  of  men,  to  see  if  there  were  any 
that  did  understand.  They  are  all  gone  aside." 
"  There  is  none  that  under standeth.''^  Hence  all  spir- 
itual understanding  is  represented  as  coming  from 
God  :  "  The  Son  of  God  is  come,  and  hath  given  us 
an  understandings  that  we  may  know  him  that  is  true." 
"  We  —  do  not  cease  to  pray  for  you —  that  ye  might 
be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  his  loill  in  all  wisdom 
and  spiritual  understanding.''^  This  class  have  none 
of  that  love  to  their  neighbor  which  is  required  in  the 
divine  law  :  "  Beloved,  let  us  love  one  another,  for 
love  is  of  God,  and  every  07ie  that  loveth  is  born  of 
God  and  knoiveth  God.^^  This  class  have  no  true 
hatred  of  sin :  "  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  to  hate  evilf^ 
but  they  have  "  no  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes." 
However  the  body  of  sin  may  change  its  form,  and 
some  of  its  members  be  retrenched,  they  are  in  no  de- 
gree delivered  from  its  dominion:  "  To  depart  from 
evil  is  understanding.^^  (Job  xvii.  4  and  xxi.  7,  14  ; 
xxviii.  28  ;  Ps.  x.  4  and  xiv.  2,  3  and  xxxvi.  1  and  cxi. 
10  ;  Prov.  i.  7  and  viii.  13  and  ix.  10 ;  Isa.  xlii.  16 
and  liii.  2  ;  Jer.  iv.  22  ;  John  xv.  21  and  xvii.  25  ; 
Rom.  iii.  9—20.  1  Cor.  ii.  6—14  ;  Col.  i.  9 ;  1  John 
iv.  7  and  v.  20.) 

4.  All  natural  men  are  the  eneviies  of  God  and  his 
Son.  This  decisive  proof  of  total  depravity  will  be 
reserved  for  the  following  lecture. 

5.  That  natural  men  possess  no  holy  principle  is 
evident  from  this,  that  all  their  actions,  so  far  as  they 


TOTAL  DEPRAVITY.  51 

partake  of  a  moral  nature,  are  wicked.  Their  "ways 
are  ahvays  grievous."  They  "  have  only  done  evil  — 
from  their  youth."  They  "  have  only  provoked  me 
to  anger  with  the  work  of  their  hands."  The  very 
"  plowing  of  the  wicked  is  sin."  Even  their  "  sacri- 
fice—  is  an  abomination  to  the  Lord."  "  So  then 
they  that  are  in  the  flesh,  [in  their  natural  Uate^]  cm- 
not  please  Grod : "  or  what  amounts  to  the  same 
thing,  "  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  him." 
(Ps.  X.  4  ;  Prov.  xv.  8  and  xxi.  4  ;  Jer.  xxxii.  30 ;  Rom. 
viii.  8  ;  Heb.  xi.  6.) 

6.  The  doctrine  is  supported  by  dii-eet  and  posi- 
tive declarations.  "  God  saw  that  the  wickedness  of 
man  was  great  in  the  earth  and  that  every  imagina- 
tion of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only  evil  con- 
tinually.^^ "  The  heart  of  the  the  sons  of  men  is  full 
of  evil,  and  madness  is  in  their  heart  while  they  live, 
and  after  that  they  go  to  the  dead"  "  Because  sen- 
tence against  an  evil  work  is  not  executed  speedily, 
therefore  the  heart  of  the  so7is  of  men  is  fully  set  in 
them  to  do  evil.''  "  The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all 
things  and  desperately  wicked ;  who  can  know  it?'* 
Whose  heart  ?  The  heart,  —  in  the  most  universal 
form.  "  The  whole  head  is  sick  and  the  whole  heart 
faint :  fro77i  the  sole  of  the  foot  even  unto  the  head  there 
is  no  soundness  in  it,  but  wounds  and  bruises  and  pu- 
trefying sores."  (Gen.  vi.  5  ;  Ecc.  viii.  11 ;  ix.  3  ;  Isa. 
i.  5,  6  ;  Jer.  xvii.  9.)  "  Unto  them  that  are  defiled 
and  unbelieving  is  nothing  pure,  but  even  their  mind 
and  conscience  is  defiled  ;  —  being  abominable  and 
disobedient   and   unto    every  good  work    reprobate." 


02  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY. 

*'  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh,  [by  natural  gen- 
eration,] is  flesh,''^  —  is  ^lotldng  hut  flesh;  because 
all  that  is  spirit,  or  that  stands  in  opposition  to  flesh, 
is  produced  by  a  second  birth  :  "  That  which  is  born 
of  the  flesh  is  flesh,  and  that  which  is  born  of  the 
Spirit  is  spirit."  (.John  iii.  6.)  By  flesh  is  unques- 
tionably meant  the  old  nature  with  which  we  were 
born.  What  then  is  the  character  of  the  flesh  ? 
Let  an  apostle  answer  :  "  I  know  that  in  me,  that  is 
in  my  flesh,  dwelleth  no  good  thing."  (Rom.  vii. 
18.)  Will  you  hear  him  further  ?  "  The  flesh  lust- 
eth  against  the  spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  the  flesh, 
and  these  are  contrary  the  one  to  the  other.  Now 
the  works  of  the  flesh  are  —  these  :  adultery,  forni- 
cation, Lincleanness,  lasciviousness,  idolatry,  witch- 
craft, hatred,  variance,  emulations,  wrath,  strife,  se- 
ditions, heresies,  envyings,  murders,  drunkenness,  rev- 
ellings,  and  such  like.  -^  But  the  fruit  of  the  Spnit 
is  love,  joy,  peace. —  And  they  that  are  Christ's  have 
crucified  the  flesh  with  the  affections  and  lusts." 
Hear  him  yet  further  :  "  They  that  are  after  the 
flesh  do  mind  the  things  of  the  flesh,  but  they  that 
are  after  the  Spirit,  the  things  of  the  Spirit ;  for  to 
be  carnally  [fleshly]  minded  is  death,  but  to  be 
spiritually  minded  is  life  and  peace  ;  because  the 
carnal  [fleshly]  mind  is  enmity  against  God,  for  it  is 
not  subject  to  the  law  of  God  neither  indeed  can  be. 
So  then  they  that  are  in  the  flesh,  [in  their  natural 
state,]  cannot  please  God.  But  ye  are  not  in  the 
fliesh  but  in  the  Spirit,  if  so  he  that  the  Spirit  of  God 
dwell  in  you:'     (Rom.  viii,  5^9  ;  Gal.  v.  17—24.) 


.       TOTAL  DEPRAVITY.  53 

To  this  mass  of  proof  may  be  added,  what  per- 
haps is  the  most  decisive  of  all,  that  mankind  by 
natm-e  are  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins :  "  You 
being  dead  in  your  sins  and  the  uncircumcision  of 
your  flesh,  hath  he  quickened."  "  You  hath  he 
quickened  who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.'' 
K  you  say  these  were  heathen,  let  us  then  go  to  the 
Jews  :  "  God  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great 
love  wherewith  he  loved  ws,  even  when  we  were  dead 
in  sins,  hath  quickened  us."  (Eph.  ii.  4,  5  ;  Col.  ii. 
13.)  "  Jesus  said  unto  him.  Follow  me  and  let  the 
dead  bury  their  dead."  "  The  hour  is  coming,  and 
now  is,  when  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son 
of  God  and  they  that  hear  shall  live."  If  you  say 
these  were  Jews,  let  us  go  then  within  the  pale  of 
the  Christian  Church :  "  Honor  widows  that  are 
widows  indeed ;  —  but  she  that  liveth  in  pleasure  is 
dead  while  she  liveth."  "  These  are  spots  in  your 
feasts  of  charity  ;  —  trees  whose  fruit  withereth,  — 
twice  dead,  plucked  up  by  the  roots."  "  I  know  thy 
works,  that  thou  hast  a  name  that  thou  livest  and 
art  dead:'  (Titus  i.  15,  16  ;  1  Pet.  iv.  6  ;  Jude  12 ; 
Rev.  iii.  1.) 

The  dismal  picture  which  the  apostle  draws  in  the 
third  chapter  of  Romans,  by  composing  into  one 
form  the  different  features  of  the  "  wicked "  which 
had  been  traced  in  the  Old  Testament;  and  his 
declaration  that  the  features  were  originally  in- 
tended for  the  whole  human  family,  authorizing  thus 
the  universal  application  of  the  term  wicked  as  it 
stands   connected  with  these  delineations,  are  suf- 


&i  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY. 

ficient  ill  themselves  to  settle  this  question.  Pray 
read  that  description,  (and  add  to  it  the  dreadful 
account  of  the  whole  heathen  world  in  the  first 
chapter  ;)  and  after  being  thus  taught  to  apply  to 
all  natural  men  the  allegations  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment against  "  the  ivicked^^^  read  the  descriptions 
of  the  wicked  contained  in  the  21st  chapter  of  Job, 
the  10th,  14th,  36th,  50th  and  73d  Psalms,  and,  to 
mention  no  more,  the  59th  chapter  of  Isaiah. 

Argument  IV.  The  representations  in  the  Psalms 
and  chapters  above  referred  to  are  abundantly  con- 
firmed by  the  history  of  the  world. 

But  a  few  ages  had  elapsed  after  the  fall  of  man 
before  ^'  the  earth  was  filled  with  violence,"  and  the 
whole  world,  with  the  exception  of  a  single  family, 
must  be  swept  away  with  a  flood.  As  soon  as  men 
began  to  multiply  again  on  the  earth,  the  whole 
race,  except  one  family  preserved  by  a  succession  of 
miracles,  apostatized  to  idols.  "  Professing  them- 
selves to  be  wise  they  became  fools,  and  changed 
the  glory  of  the  incorruptible  God  into  an  image 
made  like  to  corruptible  man,  and  to  birds,  and  four- 
footed  beasts,  and  creeping  things.  For  this  cause 
God  gave  them  up  unto  vile  affections,"  to  wallow 
in  the  most  unnatural  and  brutal  lusts.  "  As  they 
did  not  like  to  retain  God  in  their  Jmotvledf/e,  God  gave 
them  over  to  a  reprobate  mind; — being  filled  with 
all  unrighteousness,  fornication,  wickedness,  covet- 
ousness,  maliciousness  ;  fidl  of  envy,  murder,  debate, 
deceit,  malignity ;  whisperers,  backbiters,  haters  of 
Godj   despiteful,  proud,  boasters,  inventers    of  evil 


TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  55 

things,  disobedient  to  parents,  without  understand- 
ing, covenant-breakers,  without  natural  affection,  im- 
placable, unmerciful,"  "  murderers  of  fathers,  and 
murderers  of  mothers."  (Rom.  i.  22 — 32 ;  1  Tim.  i. 
9,  10.)  Only  collect  the  crimes  committed  in  the 
Assyrian  and  Persian  courts,  including  the  frequent 
murder  of  the  nearest  relations  to  open  a  way  to 
the  throne,  and  without  looking  further  this  whole 
catalogue  of  charges  stands  supported.  Sodom  was 
but  a  specimen  of  the  heathen  world. 

And  if  you  turn  from  this  wilderness  to  the  vine- 
yard, on  which  all  the  culture  of  heaven  was  be- 
stowed, you  see  little  else  than  the  grapes  of  Sodom 
and  clusters  of  GomoiTah.  (Deut.  xxxii.  32,  33 ; 
Isai.  V.  1 — 7.)  Under  the  glories  of  the  burning 
mount,  while  the  voice  of  God  was  still  sounding 
in  their  ears,  they  constructed  a  molten  calf  and 
stupidly  cried,  "  These  be  thy  gods,  O  Israel,  which 
brought  thee  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt."  (Exod. 
xxxii.  1 — 6.)'  Their  unbelief  and  rebellion  never 
ceased.  From  generation  to  generation  their  lust 
after  other  gods  could  scarcely  be  restrained  by  all 
the  miracles  wrought  before  their  eyes,  —  by  all  the 
fervid  expostulations  of  anxious  prophets.  Those 
prophets  they  slew,  and  at  length  filled  up  the 
measure  of  their  iniquity  by  the  murder  of  the  Son 
of  God. 

And  what  has  the  Christian  world  exhibited? 
Must  I  retrace  that  apostasy  which  gave  one  half 
of  the  Church  into  the  hands  of  the  Saracens  and 
Turks  ?     Must  I  measm*e  over  those  scenes  of  pride 


56  TOTAL   DEPRAVITY. 

and  pollution  which  laid  the  other  half  at  the  feet 
of  the  man  of  sin  ?  Must  I  revisit  the  faggots  of 
the  martyrs,  and  wade  through  the  seas  of  blood 
which  have  been  shed  by  hands  bearing  the  cross  ? 
Look  where  you  will,  the  deep  depravity  of  man  on 
every  side  appears.  The  history  of  the  world  is  a 
history  of  crimes.  The  earth  has  been  from  the  be- 
ginning a  great  Aceldama,  a  shambles  of  blood. 
And  lest  it  should  be  thought  that  Christianity  and 
science  and  modern  refinement  have  tamed  the  nat- 
ural heart,  the  most  polished  nation  on  earth,  in  the  cen- 
tre of  the  Christian  world,  has  been  selected  to  take 
the  lead  in  that  scene  of  atheism  and  violence  re- 
served for  the  latter  day,  —  reserved  to  make  a  full 
development  of  the  human  character,  that  the  mil- 
lennium might  be  introduced  without  a  remaining 
doubt  on  earth  of  the  total  depravity  of  man. 

This  horrid  scene  in  the  centre  of  the  Christian 
church,  was  foretold  by  astonished  prophets.  "  This 
know,  —  that  in  the  last  days  perilous  times  shall 
come.  For  men  shall  be  lovers  of  their  ownselves, 
covetous,  boasters,  proud,  blasphemers,  disobedient 
to  parents,  unthankful,  unholy,  without  natural  af- 
fection, truce  breakers,  false  accusers,  incontinent, 
fierce,  dcspisers  of  those  that  are  good,  traitors, 
heady,  high-minded,  lovers  of  pleasure  more  than 
lovers  of  God,  having  the  form  of  godliness  but  de- 
nying the  power  thereof :  from  such  turn  away."  (2 
Tim.  iii.  1 — 9.  "  And  there  fell  upon  men  a  great 
hail  out  of  heaven,  every  stone  about  the  weight  of 
a  talent ;  and  men  blasphemed  God  because  of  the 


TOTAL   DEPRAVITY.  57 

plague  of  the  hail,  for  the  plague  thereof  was  exceed- 
ing great."     (Rev.  xvi.  21.) 

Such  is  the  history  of  man, —  of  man  under  every 
form  of  society,  pagan,  Jewish,  and  Christian.  And 
it  furnishes  a  fair  illustration  of  what  selfishness  will 
do  in  spite  of  all  the  affections  of  nature,  when  divine 
restraints  are  taken  off  and  sufficient  temptations 
occur.  It  may  then  be  regarded  as  the  history  of 
every  man  left  to  liimself.  For  "  as  in  water  face 
answereth  to  face,  so  the  heart  of  man  to  man."  The 
conduct  of  those  wretches  who  are  recorded  as 
prodigies  of  iniquity,  is  only  an  exemplification  of 
selfishness  and  a  specimen  of  what  every  man  would 
do  if  left  of  God.  All  doubt  on  this  subject  will  be 
removed  as  soon  as  the  wicked  enter  the  eternal 
world  and  begin  to  exercise  the  rage  of  the  damned. 
Hence  in  the  descriptions  of  man  which  are  drawn 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  crimes,  that  have  not  been  acted 
out  by  all,  but  by  a  part  as  a  sample  of  the  rest,  are 
set  down  among  the  characteristics  of  the  whole 
human  family.     (Rom.  iii.  9 — 20.) 

But  men  will  be  slow  to  believe  all  this,  because 
they  are  ignorant  of  themselves.  No  man  knows 
what  is  in  his  heart  further  than  he  is  tried  ;  because 
no  man  knows  what  selfishness,  restrained  only  by 
nature,  is  capable  of  doing.  Hazael  could  say, 
"  Is  thy  servant  a  dog  that  he  should  do  this  great 
thing  ?  "  and  yet  he  did  it.  (2  Kings  viii.  13.)  The 
Jews  who  crucified  the  Saviour  of  the  world, 
tiiought  that  if  they  had  lived  in  the  days  of  their 
fathers   they  should   not   have    slain   the  prophets. 


58  TOTAL  DEPRAVITY. 

(Mat.  xxiii.  30.)  And  if  any  of  you  are  dreaming 
that,  left  to  yourselves,  you  should  not  go  the  length 
of  those  whose  history  you  have  reviewed,  let  that 
dream  end  at  this  spot,  —  "  The  heart  is  deceitful 
above  all  things  and  desperately  wicked ;  who  can 
know  it  f  " 


LECTURE   III. 

NATURAL  AFFECTIONS  NOT  HOLINESS. 
HEBREWS  XII.  14. 

FOLLOW    PEACE    WITH    ALL     MEN,    AND     HOLINESS,    WITHOUT 
WHICH    NO    MAN    SHALL    SEE    THE    LORD. 

Salvation  depends  very  much  on  possessing  a 
correct  view  of  our  native  ruin  and  need  of  a  Saviour. 
For  want  of  this,  many  disdainfully  reject  the  offers 
of  grace,  and  undertake  to  recommend  themselves 
to  God  in  a  way  more  gratifying  to  human  pride. 
None  will  apply  to  the  physician  tiU  they  feel  that 
they  are  sick. 

The  most  holy  and  devout  portion  of  the  Christian 
church  have  always  held,  with  the  fathers  of  New- 
England,  that  mankind  by  nature  are  totally  de- 
praved ;  by  which  they  have  meant,  not  that  they 
are  as  bad  as  they  can  be,  —  not  that  they  are  all 
equally  wicked,  —  not  that  the  form  of  their  actions 
is  always  wrong,  —  not  that  they  are  wholly  destitute 
of  love  to  men^  —  of  all  moral  sense,  —  of  all  regard 
for  the  natural  fitness  there  is  in  virtue,  —  of  aU  dis- 


60  NATURAL  AFFECTIONS 

gust  at  the  natural  unfitness  there  is  in  vice ;  but 
merely  this,  that  they  are  utterly  destitute  of  holiness. 
And  this  our  text  evidently  implies.  It  virtually  de- 
clares that  none  shall  be  debarred  from  seeing  the 
Lord  but  they  who  are  "without  holiness;"  which  is 
to  say  that  all  who  are  not  entitled  to  heaven  are 
destitute  of  that  principle,  —  that  all  who,  in  Scripture, 
are  called  sinners  in  distinction  from  saints,  children 
of  wrath  in  distinction  from  children  of  God,  natural 
men  in  distinction  from  spiritual  men,  the  world  in 
distinction  from  the  church,  are  "  without  holiness." 
There  are,  however,  in  natural  men,  certain  sem- 
blances of  holiness,  which  have  been  often  alleged  in 
opposition  to  this  doctrine.  Natural  men  are  suscep- 
tible of  gratitude  and  patriotism ;  of  the  domestic 
affections,  such  as  subsist  between  parents  and  chil- 
dren, husbands  and  wives,  brothers  and  sisters;  of 
humanity,  including  both  compassion  and  general 
good  wishes  for  the  happiness  of  others  ;  of  a  sweet 
disposition,  enlarging  their  humanity,  and  producing 
gentleness,  patience,  forgiveness,  kindness,  and  benefi- 
cence. They  are  susceptible  of  a  sense  of  honor,  re- 
volting from  meanness  and  pollution  ;  of  taste,  that 
delights  in  beautiful  proportions  in  all  visible  objects 
and  relations ;  of  conscience,  or  the  moral  sense,  which* 
approves  of  justice  and  virtue  and  disapproves  of  vice, 
and,  when  sufficiently  enlightened,  justifies  the  whole 
law  of  God,  and  religion  generally,  and  good  men, 
and  condemns  the  opposite  of  all  these.  Under  the 
influence  of  these  principles,  fortified  by  education 
and  habit,  aided  by  hopes  and  fears,  by  respect  for 


NOT   HOLINESS.  61 

human  opinions  and  laws,  by  regard  for  good  order, 
(especially  as  being  necessary  for  their  own  secu- 
rity,) by  the  general  good  nature  which  prosperity 
imparts  even  to  selfish  minds,  and  by  numberless 
associations  of  ideas,  multitudes  of  natural  men  lead 
amiable  and  moral  lives.  But  after  all,  they  are  utterly 
destitute  of  that  "  holiness,  without  which  no  man 
shall  see  the  Lord."  To  put  this  matter  beyond  a 
doubt,  let  us, 

I.  Inquire  what  holiness  is. 

II.  Compare  the  world  with  this  standard. 

III.  By  this  standard  test  the  natural  principles 
which  have  been  mentioned. 

I.  What  is  holiness  ?  Avoiding  all  points  liable 
to  dispute,  I  will  give  such  an  answer  to  the  ques- 
tion as  I  think  no  man  will  be  disposed  to  contradict. 
I  will  put  the  answer  in  two  forms,  and  you  may 
take  your  choice.  Holiness  consists  in  conformity  to 
the  moral  character  of  God.  The  other  answer  is,  Ho- 
liness consists  in  obedience  to  his  commands.  I  will 
illustrate  the  principle  in  both  forms. 

1.  Holiness  consists  in  conformity  to  the  moral 
character  of  God.  If  a  doubt  could  rest  on  this  point, 
the  whole  Bible  would  join  to  remove  it.  In  the  im- 
age of  God,  man  was  originally  made  ;  and  that 
image  is  reinstamped  on  his  soul  in  sanctification. 
"  We  all,  with  open  face  beholding,  as  in  a  glass, 
the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same  im- 
age, from  glory  to  glory."  Holiness  in  creatures  is 
the  same,  in  kind,  as  holiness  in  God:  "Be  ye  holy, 
for  I  am  holy."  Hence  Christians  are  said  to  be 
6 


62  NATURAL  AFFECTIONS 

"partakers  of  his  holiness,"  and  "partakers  of  the 
divine  nature."  (Gen.  i.  26,  27 ;  2  Cor.  iii.  18 ;  Ileb. 
xii.  10 ;    1  Pet.  i.  16  ;   2  Pet.  i.  4.) 

Holiness  in  creatures  consists,  then,  in  loving  the 
same  things  that  God  loves,  in  hating  the  same  things 
that  he  hates,  in  desiring  the  same  things  that  he  de- 
sires, in  having  the  same  supreme  end,  in  rejoicing 
in  the  same  things  in  which  he  rejoices ;  in  short,  in 
possessing  his  temper  and  acting  it  out  in  correspond- 
ing conduct.  Let  us  expand  these  ideas.  Holiness 
consists 

In  loving  the  same  things  that  God  loves ;  in  loving, 
therefore,  being  in  general;  (such  an  affection  exists 
in  God,  for  "God  is  love ;")  in  loving  all  his  perfec- 
tions^ in  which  he  himself  delights  ;  in  loving  the  pre- 
cepts and  penalties  of  that  law  which  is  a  transcript 
of  his  nature ;  in  loving  his  providential  government^ 
which  he  approves;  in  delighting  in  his  2/;z7/,  which  is 
necessarily  agreeable  to  himself  ;  in  loving  his  Son^ 
his  beloved  Son,  in  whom  he  is  well  pleased ;  in  lov- 
ing the  whole  plan  of  salvation^  which  he  regards 
with  infinite  affection ;  in  loving  his  ivord,  with  all 
its  doctrines,  which  are  dear  to  him ;  in  loving  his 
church  and  all  good  men,  whom  he  has  graven  upon 
his  heart. 

In  hating  the  same  things  that  God  hates ;  in  hating 
sin  therefore,  and  the  characters  of  ivicked  men,  and 
the  manners  of  an  ungodly  loorld. 

In  desiring  the  same  things  that  God  desires:  in  de- 
siring, therefore,  his  glory,  the  enlargement  and  con- 
summation of  his  church,  the  universal  reign  of  hoH- 


NOT   HOLINESS.  63 

nesSj  the  universal  belief  of  God-exalting  and  soul- 
debasing  truths,  and  the  fulfilment  of  all  the  designs 
of  infinite  love. 

In  having-  the  same  supreme  end  that  God  has ;  in  mak- 
ing his  glory,  therefore,  the  grand  object  of  pursuit 

In  rejoicing  in  the  same  things  in  which  God  rejoices; 
in  rejoicing,  therefore,  in  his  beings  government,  and 
glory,  in  the  honor  put  upon  his  laiv,  in  the  certainty 
that  all  his  purposes  will  be  accomplished,  in  the  ever- 
lasting glory  of  his  church,  and  the  eternal  destruction 
of  his  enemies. 

In  acting  out  this  tanper  in  corresponding  conduct, — 
in  precisely  that  conduct  toward  God,  his  Son,  his 
institutions,  and  our  fellow  men,  which  his  word  re- 
quires. 

Must  not  this,  and  nothing  short  of  this,  be  the 
holiness  that  will  fit  us  to  enjoy  and  commune  with 
God  forever?  Shall  I  now  turn  to  the  other  answer? 
But  as  the  law  of  God  is  a  transcript  of  his  nature, 
this  answer  must  amount  to  the  same  thing. 

2.  Holiness  consists  in  obeying  God^s  commands. 
Can  any  man  doubt  this  ?  If  the  law  of  the  universal 
King  is  not  the  universal  standard  of  right;  if  he  has 
left  anything  unforbidden  which  will  injure  the  pros- 
perity of  his  kingdom ;  if  he  has  tolerated,  by  silence, 
any  principle  or  act  hostile  to  the  interests  of  the  uni- 
verse, what  will  you  say  of  his  government?  It  were 
blasphemy  to  suppose  it.  If  the  definition  of  sin  is, 
that  it  is  '•''the  transgression  of  the  lawj^  (1  John  iii. 
4,)  the  definition  of  holiness  must  be,  that  it  is  obe- 
dience to  the  law. 


64  NATURAL  AFFECTIOXS 

But  the  law  of  God,  if  I  may  be  allowed  the  ex- 
pression, has  both  a  body  and  a  soul.  It  is  not  con- 
fined, like  human  laws,  to  external  things.  The  law 
of  the  moral  Governor,  must  strike  chiefly,  and  in  a 
sense  entirely,  at  the  hearty  the  real  seat  of  all  moral 
good  and  evil.  Now  if  we  could  find  a  single  prin- 
ciple of  the  heart  which  in  itself  and  its  proper 
fruits  comprehends  complete  obedience  to  the  law, 
we  should  find  holiness  in  its  most  simple  and  ele- 
mentary form  ;  Well,  that  principle  is  found ;  and  it 
is  such  a  one  as  will  perfectly  assimilate  us  to  the 
moral  character  of  God.  It  is  love^  —  and  "  God  is 
love."  "  Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law."  (Rom. 
xiii.  10.)  But  ivhat  love  ?  Let  the  prophet  of  the 
world,  the  lawgiver  himself,  reply:  "  Thou  shalt  love 
the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy 
soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind.  This  is  the  first  and  great 
commandment.  And  the  second  is  like  unto  it.  Thou 
shalt  love  thy  nei^hhor  as  thyself.  On  these  tivo  com- 
mandments hang  all  the  law  and  the  prophetsP  "All 
the  law  [in  respect  to  man\  is  fulfilled  in  one  word, 
even  in  this.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself." 
^'  He  that  loveth  another,  hath  fulfilled  the  law." 
(Matt.  xxii.  37—40;  Rom.  xiii.  8  ;  Gal.  v.  14.)  And 
as  evangelical /ft////,  the  sum  of  Gospel  duties, "  work- 
cth  hjj  love^l''  (Gal.  v.  6.),  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the 
Gospel  as  well  as  the  law,  and  comprehends  all  the 
holiness  of  the  Old  Testament  and  the  New.  This  is 
that  charity  which  so  involves  all  moral  excellence, 
that  all  other  things,  without  it,  are  declared  to  be 
nothing :    "  Though  I  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men 


NOT   HOLINESS.  65 

and  of  angels,  and  have  not  charity,  [love,]  I  am 
become  as  sounding-  brass  or  a  tinkling  cymbaL  And 
though  I  have  the  gift  of  prophecy,  and  under- 
stand all  mysteries  and  all  knowledge,  and  though 
I  have  all  faith  so  that  I  could  remove  moun- 
tains, and  have  not  charity,  I  am  nothing.  And 
though  I  bestow  all  my  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and 
though  I  give  my  body  to  be  burned,  [as  a  martyr^] 
and  have  not  charity,  it  profiteth  me  nothing.^^  (1  Cor. 
xiii.  1—3.) 

All  holiness  then  consists  in  that  love  to  God,  to 
Christ,  and  our  neighbor,  which  stands  opposed  to 
selfishness,  and  causes  us,  when  it  is  perfect,  to  love 
God  with  all  our  heart  and  our  neighbor  as  ourselves. 
But  who  is  my  neighbor  ?  Not  my  friend,  not  my  re- 
lation, not  my  Christian  brother,  not  my  countryman ; 
but  the  Samaritan^  (as  Christ  himself  explained  it, — 
Luke  X.  29 — 37,)  — one  of  another  religion,  of  another 
nation,  reputed  wicked,  and  my  natural  enemy ;  one 
that  has  nothing  to  recommend  him  but  that  he  is  a 
man.  In  this  is  involved  the  spirit  of  all  those  pre- 
cepts which  require  us  to  love  our  enemies^  to  exer- 
cise the  most  perfect  good-will  and  kindness  to  the 
evil  and  unthankful.  The  love  then  which  is  the 
fulfilling  of  the  law,  is  limited  to  no  circle,  no  coun- 
try, but  reaches  as  far  as  man  is  found.  It  is  restrict- 
ed by  no  partialities,  it  stops  at  no  character,  no 
friendships,  no  aversions,  but  centres  on  simple  being. 
It  steps  not  at  human  bein  >■,  but  goes  forth  to  God, 
who  comprehends  in  himself  infinitely  the  greatest 
portion  of  existence.  It  fixes  on  him  supremely,  and 
6* 


66  NATURAL   AFFECTIONS 

loves  him,  when  it  is  perfect,  with  all  the  heart  and 
soul  and  mind.  And  if  angels,  if  the  inhabitants  of 
all  worlds,  should  come  distinctly  into  view,  what 
should  hinder  it  from  fixing  on  them  as  it  now  does 
on  God  and  man  ?  Nor  does  it  stop  at  intelligent  be- 
ing; it  goes  forth  with  entire  good-will  to  the  sensi- 
tive creation,  to  all  that  are  capable  of  pleasure  or  pain. 
Surely  in  the  love  which  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  laWy 
must  be  comprehended  that  benevolence  which 
causes  "  a  righteous  man  "  to  regard  "  the  life  of  his 
heast^^''  since  this  is  a  part  of  moral  goodness  which 
God  has  seen  fit  to  approve.  (Prov.xii.  10.)  An  affec- 
tion thus  going  forth  to  being  as  such,  without  regard 
to  character,  relation,  proximity,  or  species,  must  have 
for  its  object  all  existence  capable  of  pleasure  or  pain. 
It  can  find  nothing  to  limit  it  to  the  inhabitants  of 
one  world,  except  ignorance  that  others  exist.  In  a 
finite  being  it  will,  indeed,  act  most  strongly  towards 
objects  most  in  view ;  but  the  same  good- will  that 
can  love  an  enemy  and  wish  w^ell  to  a  brute,  would 
for  the  same  reason  love  millions  of  beings  of  other 
worlds,  as  fast  as  they  should  come  into  view.  This 
is  that  general  benevolence  which  makes  men  good 
citizens  of  the  universe.  This  is  that  law  which  was 
fitted  for  a  universal  empire.  You  must  possess  do^ 
mestic  affections  to  render  you  good  members  of  a 
family  ;  you  must  have  the  more  extended  principle 
of  patriotism  to  render  you  good  members  of  the 
state  ;  for  the  same  reason  you  must  possess  univer- 
sal benevolence  to  render  you  good  subjects  of  a  king- 
dom which  comprises  all  worlds  as  so  many  provinces 


NOT   HOLINESS.  67 

of  a  vast  empire.  Nothing  short  of  this  is  holiness. 
Family  regulations  are  necessary  for  the  domestic 
circle  ;  civil  laws  are  necessary  for  the  common- 
wealth ;  but  this  great  law  of  love,  which  knows  no 
limit  of  time  or  place,  is  fitted  to  be  the  statute  of  a 
kindom  comprehending  all  worlds. 

But  though  this  affection  fixes  on  general  beings 
as  its  primary  object,  it  has  a  secoiidari/  object,  and 
that  is  holy  love,  including  both  the  love  of  being-  and 
the  love  of  holifiess.  As  it  delights  in  the  happiness 
of  general  existence,  it  delights  in  that  benevolence 
which  is  friendly  to  general  existence  and  which  loves 
this  sacred  temper  in  others.  Like  God  himself,  it 
regards  with  complacency  both  the  love  of  being  and 
the  love  of  holiness. 

May  I  not  add,  as  a  distinct  idea,  that  this  holy 
affection  delights  in  the  measures  on  which  the  hap- 
piness of  general  being  depends,  such  as  the  law  and 
providential  government  of  God  and  the  Gospel  of 
Christ.  It  delights  also  in  the  truths  which  relate  to 
these  measures,  and  in  those  which  relate  to  the 
character  of  God  and  the  mode  of  his  existence.  — 
But  this  is  not  a  distinct  idea.  For  to  love  divine 
truths  is  not  distinct  from  loving  the  objects  which 
the  truths  disclose.  The  only  way  in  which  we  see 
the  objects,  is  in  the  truths  which  relate  to  them,  and 
all  that  we  see,  in  truth,  is  the  objects  disclosed. 
Hence  the  unavoidable  inference,  that  the  haters  of 
divine  truth  must  be  strangers  to  holiness. 

But  there  is  one  attribute  of  holy  love  which  I 
wish  to  set  more  distinctly  in  your  view.     Whether 


68  NATURAL   AFFECTIONS 

'this  affection  respect  being  or  character,  it  will  neces- 
sarily regard  God  supremely.  That  benevolence  which 
wishes  well  to  being,  will  value  the  happiness  of  God 
more  than  that  of  all  creatures,  because  he  comprises 
in  himself  infinitely  the  greatest  portion  of  existence. 
That  charity  which  takes  complacency  in  moral  ex- 
cellence, will  love  the  character  of  God  more  than 
that  of  all  creatures,  because  he  possesses  infinitely 
the  greatest  portion  of  benevolence.  Where  God, 
therefore,  is  not  supremely  loved,  there  can  be  no  ho- 
liness. 'This  will  be  more  evident  when  it  is  consid- 
ered that  where  he  is  not  loved  supremely^  he  is  not 
loved  at  all*  And  certainly  there  can  be  no  love  of 
general  being  that  wholly  disregards  him  who  com- 
prises in  himself  infinitely  the  greatest  portion  of 
general  being,  nor  any  love  of  moral  excellence  that 
wholly  disregards  him  who  contains  infinitely  the 
greatest  portion  of  moral  excellence  in  himself  The 
man  who,  after  God  is  clearly  revealed,  does  not  love 
him,  cannot  possess  a  spark  of  true  benevolence,  nor 
any  delight  in  it.  This  will  be  still  more  evident 
when  it  is  considered  that  the  man  who  does  not  love 
God,  is  his  enemy.  There  can  be  no  indifference  here. 
You  may  be  indifferent  to  a  thousand  things  in  which 
you  have  no  concern ;  but  your  king,  whose  laws 
interfere  with  every  action  of  your  lives  and  every 

*  The  author  docs  not  mean  to  approach  the  question,  whether 
in  those  hours  when  the  Chrislian's  love  is  not  supreme,  it  is  ex- 
tinguished ;  nor  the  question,  whether  love  may  exist  in  a  dispO' 
sition  when  it  is  not  in  exercise.  lie  only  means  to  say,  that  they 
Tfiho  neoer  love  God  supremely,  never  love  him  at  all. 


NOT  HOLmESS.  69 

motion  of  your  hearts,  —  that  great  and  dreadful 
king  who  has  you  in  his  hands  and  is  to  make 
you  happy  or  miserable  to  eternity,  —  to  him  you 
cannot  be  indiiferent.  Him  you  must  love  or  hate. 
And  now  let  common  sense  speak.  Can  there  be  a 
particle  of  universal  benevolence  in  those  who  hate 
the  being  that  comprehends  in  himself  infinitely  the 
greatest  portion  of  existence  ?  Can  men  possess  a 
particle  of  love  for  moral  excellence,  who  hate  the 
being  that  contains  in  himself  infinitely  the  greatest 
portion  of  moral  excellence,  and  even  hate  him  for 
that  very  reason  ? 

I  will  now  show  you  how  far  some  of  the  foregoing 
views  are  supported  by  the  word  of  God.  That 
teaches  us,  in  the  first  place,  that  where  God  is  not 
loved  supremely  he  is  not  loved  at  all.  For,  first,  it 
instructs  us  that  all  who  love  him  in  the  least  degree, 
are  accepted  as  Christians  and  heirs  of  salvation.  All 
the  promises  are  made  to  those  who  possess  the 
smallest  degi'ee  of  love.  "  Whosoever  shall  give  you 
a  cup  of  water  to  drink  in  my  name,  because  ye  belong 
to  Christ,  verily  I  say  unto  you  he  shall  not  lose  his 
reward."  "  Be  merciful  unto  me  as  thou  usest  to  do 
unto  those  that  love  thy  name,^^ — in  the  least  degree. 
*'  We  know  that  all  things  work  together  for  good  to 
them  that  love  God.'^  "  Eye  hath  not  seen  nor  ear 
heard,  neither 'have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man 
the  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that 
love  him.^^  "  The  kingdom  which  he  hath  promised 
.to  them  that  love  h.im.''^  "  The  crown  of  life  which 
he  hath  promised  to  them  that  love  him.^^     (Ps.  cxix. 


70  NATURAL  AFFECTIONS 

132  ;  Mark  ix.  41 ;  Rom.  viii.  28  ;  1  Cor.  ii.  9 ;  Jas.  i. 
12  and  ii.  5.  For  a  vindication  of  this  construction 
of  these  texts,  see  Note  to  page  46.)  Secondly,  it 
teaches  us  that  all  who  are  thus  accepted  as  Chris- 
tians and  heirs  of  salvation  love  God  supremely. 
"  He  that  loveth  father  or  mother  more  than  me  is  not 
worthy  of  me,  and  he  that  loveth  son  or  daughter 
more  than  me  is  not  worthy  of  me."  "  If  any  man 
come  to  me  and  hate  not  his  father  and  mother  and 
wife  and  children  and  brethren  and  sisters,  yea  and 
his  own  life  also,  he  cannot  he  my  disciple.  —  Whoso- 
ever he  be  of  you  that  forsaketh  not  all  that  he  hath, 
he  cannot  he  my  disciple.^^  The  great  rival  of  God  is 
the  world ;  but  Christians  are  represented  as  being 
"  dead'^  to  the  world,  as  not  coveting  the  world,  (for 
"  no  —  covetous  man,  who  is  an  idolater,  hath  any  in- 
heritance in  the  kingdom  of  Christ,")  and  as  even 
"  hating  covetousness."  "  God  forbid  that  I  should 
glory  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by 
whom  the  world  is  crucified  unto  me  and  I  unto  the 
worW^  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  hut  thee?  and 
there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I  desire  hesides  thee.^^  To 
"  mind  earthly  things,"  to  serve  "  the  creature  more 
than  the  Creator,"  to  be  "  lovers  of  pleasures  7nore 
than  lovers  of  God,"  to  "  love  the  praise  of  men  more 
than  the  praise  of  God,"  are  set  down  as  incontesta- 
ble marks  of  unrenewed  nature.  (Exod.  xviii.  21 ; 
Ps.  Ixxiii.  25  ;  Prov.  xxviii.  16  ;  Mat.  x.  37 ;  Luke 
xiv.  26,  33 ;  John  xii.  43 ;  Rom.  i.  25 ;  1  Cor.  vi.  10 ; 
Gal.  vi.  14  ;  Eph.  v.  5  ;  Phil.  iii.  19  ;  Col.  iii.  1—3 ; 
2  Tim.  iii.  4.)     But  both  of  the  foregoing  particu- 


NOT   HOLINESS.  71 

lars  are  comprised  in  a  single  text :  "  If  any  man 
love  the  world  [supremeli/,]  the  love  of  the  Father  is 
not  in  him.''^     (1  John  ii.  15.) 

Thus  the  Scriptures  instruct  us  that  where  God  is 
not  loved  supremely  he  is  not  loved  at  all.  But  they 
stop  not  here.  They  teach  us  that  the  man  who  does 
not  love  God  is  his  enemy.  "  He  that  is  not  ivith  me 
is  against  me,  and  he  that  gathereth  not  with  me 
scattereth  abroad."  In  one  of  the  ten  command- 
ments, intended  for  all  ages  and  nations^  the  whole 
human  race  are  divided  into  two  classes,  those  who 
love  God  and  those  who  hate  him.  "  I  the  Lord  thy 
God  am  a  jealous  God,  visiting  the  iniquity  of  the 
fathers  upon  the  children  unto  the  third  and  fourth 
generation,  of  them  that  hate  me,  and  showing  mercy 
unto  thousands  of  them  that  love  meP  (Exod.  xx. 
5,  6  ;  Mat.  xii.  30.)  We  are  then  brought  to  the  con- 
clusion that  they  who  do  not  love  .God  supremely  are 
his  enemies.  And  this  is  asserted  in  express  terms : 
"  No  man  can  serve  two  masters ;  for  either  he  will 
hate  the  one  and  love  the  other,  or  else  he  will  hold 
to  the  one  and  despise  the  other  :  ye  cannot  serve 
God  and  mammon.''^  "  The  friendship  of  the  world 
is  enmity  with  God  :  whosoever  therefore  will  be  a 
friend  of  the  world  is  the  enemy  of  God.''''  Mat.  vi. 
24 ;  James  iv.  4.) 

All  who  do  not  love  God  supremely  are  then  his 
enemies.  But  I  go  further.  All  are  his  enemies 
whose  hearts  and  lives  are  not  governed  by  this  affec- 
tion as  their  ruling  passion,  so  habitually  as  to  form 


72  NATURAL  AFFECTIONS 

their  general  character*  What  else  can  be  understood 
by  the  passages  already  quoted  ?  In  these  there  is 
a  character  ascribed  to  Christians,  (including  all  who 
love  God  at  all,)  and  this  character  is,  that  they  hate 
their  nearest  relations  and  even  life  in  comparison 
with  him ;  that  they  do  not  "  love  the  world,  are  not 
friends  of  the  world,  do  not  "  mind  earthly  things," 
are  "  dead"  to  the  world,  are  not  "  covetous,"  are  not 
"  idolaters,"  do  not  "  serve  mammon,"  do  not  serve 
"  the  creature  more  than  the  Creator,"  are  not  "  lovers 
of  pleasures  more  than  lovers  of  God,"  do  not  "  love 
the  praise  of  men  more  than  the  praise  of  God." 
Whatever  remaining  sins  they  have,  this  is  their 
character,  their  only  character,  then  certainly  their 
general  character.    And  is  it  true  after  all,  that  "  nine 

*  What  is  said  in  this  and  the  next  paragraph  is  not  inconsist- 
ent with  the  assertion  repeatedly  made,  that  the  least  degree  of 
love  entitles  one  to  all  the  promises.  The  harmony  of  these 
thoughts  will  appear  when  it  is  considered,  (1)  that  all  who  love 
God  in  the  least  degree,  nay  all  who  are  not  unreservedly  his 
enemies^  love  him  supremely.  If  this  point  has  not  been  sufficiently 
established,  the  reader  is  requested  to  suspend  his  judgment  till 
he  has  perused  the  fourth  lecture.  (2)  All  who  love  God  su- 
premely are  Christians  in  the  highest  sense  of  the  word.  This 
will  not  be  denied.  (3)  All  who  are  truly  Christians  love  God 
habitually.  The  proof  of  this  is  to  be  exhibited  in  the  remaining 
part  of  this  second  head.  Therefore,  (4)  all  who  love  God  in 
the  least  degree  love  him  habitually.  In  other  words,  the  least 
degree  of  love  will  certainly  in  all  cases  be  habitual,  —  on  suppo- 
sition of  the  perseverance  of  the  saints. 


NOT  HOLINESS.  73 

hours  out  of  ten "  they  are  alive  to  the  world,  are 
friends  of  the  world,  are  covetous,  are  idolaters,  are 
servants  of  mammon,  are  lovers  of  pleasures  more 
than  lovers  of  God,  are  enemies  of  God?  Then  this 
is  their  general  character^  and  by  these  names  they 
ought  to  be  called.  Are  they  who  are  described  as 
serving  God  and  not  mammon,  really  serving  mam- 
mon and  7iot  God  "nine  hours  out  of  ten?"  After 
the  Bible  has  declared  that  no  covetous  man  shall 
inherit  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  shall  they  inherit  who 
remain  covetous,  "nine  hours  out  of  ten,"  to  the  day 
of  their  death  ?  Is  the  good  7iaari  of  the  Bible  one 
who  "  nine  hours  out  of  ten,"  differs  in  nothing  from 
the  wicked  ?  Do  those  temples  in  which  the  Holy  Ghost 
"  dwells,^^  contain,  nine  hours  out  of  ten,"  nothing 
but  idols  and  enmity  against  God  ?  Christians  are 
said  not  to  "  commit  sin,"  (1  John  iii.  9,)  to  be  "  dead' 
to  sin,"  to  be  "  freed  from  sin,"  (Rom.  vi.  2,  7, 18,  22,) 
which  is  explained  to  mean  that  they  do  not  serve 
sin.  (Rom.  vi.  12,  16,  20.)  And  after  all  do  they 
sin  with  the  prevailing  consent  of  their  minds  "  nine 
hours  out  of  ten."  They  indeed  have  large  remains 
of  indwelling  corruption  and  often  "  do  that  which 
[they]  would  not ;"  but  they  are  allowed  to  plead, 
"  It  is  no  more  /that  do  it  but  sin  that  dwelleth  in 
me,"  (Rom.  vii.  20 ;)  that  is,  It  is  no  more  I  in  my 
general  character. 

It  is  very  apparent  that  men  are  denominated  in 
Scripture  according  to  their  general  character.  For 
example,  when  our  Saviour  says,  "  Whosoever  shall 
deni/  me  before  men,  him  will  I  also  deny  before  my 

7 


74  NATUKAL  AFFECTIONS 

Father,"  (Mat.  x.  33,)  he  must  speak  of  general 
character  or  Peter  falls  under  this  sentence.  When 
the  apostle  says,  "  Whosoever  hateth  Ids  brother  is  a 
murderer,  and  ye  know  that  no  murderer  hath  eternal 
life  abiding  in  him,"  (1  John  iii.  15,)  he  must  speak 
of  general  character  or  David  fell  from  grace,  and 
indeed  all  the  saints  daily  fall.  But  David  was  not 
a  murderer,  nor  Peter  a  denier  of  Christ  in  the  sense 
of  Scripture,  because  such  was  not  their  general 
character.  When  it  is  said,  "  There  is  no  condem- 
nation to  them  —  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh  but 
after  the  Spirit :  —  if  ye  live  after  the  flesh  ye  shall 
die,"  (Rom.  viii.  1,  13 ;)  the  reference  must  be  to 
general  character  or  we  must  all  exclaim,  "  who  then 
can  be  saved  ?  "  By  analogy  then,  the  declaration 
that  "  no  covetous  man,  who  is  an  idolater,  hath  any 
inheritance  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ,"  must  import 
that  no  Christian  is  covetous  or  idolatrous  in  his  gen- 
eral  character.  That  is,  no  Christian  habitually  loves 
"  the  creature  more  than  the  Creator."* 

*  To  this  conclusion  the  author  has  conceived  himself  driven 
hj  the  word  of  God.  Any  question  connected  with  the  subject 
■which  is  not  decided  by  that  arbiter,  he  dares  not  touch ;  for  in- 
stance, whether  the  term  love,  as  it  b  used  in  the  Bible,  includes 
both  tlie  disposition  and  the  exercise,  like  the  root  and  stock  of  a 
tree  which  go  in  to  make  one  whole  ;  how  great  a  part  of  the  time 
the  Christian  exercises  direct  love  to  God  ;  how  far  his  exercises, 
when  God  is  not  the  immediaie  object  of  attention,  may  still  be 
regarded  as  love  to  him.  He  will  venture  to  say  thus  much. 
Other  affections  may  hourly  rise  in  the  Christian's  heart ;  other 
passions  may  occasionally  take  possession  of  his  mind  {  other  ob- 


NOT  HOLINESS.  75 

All  then  who  are  not  the  enemies  of  God,  and  of 
course  utterly  destitute  of  holiness,  are  habitually- 
governed  by  supreme  love  to  him.  Or  to  reverse 
the  proposition,  all  who  are  not  habitually  governed 
by  supreme  love  to  God,  are  his  enemies  and  utterly 
destitute  of  holiness, 

II.  With  this  standard  let  us  now  compare  the 
world. 

If  all  are  destitute  of  holiness  who  do  not  love 
God  supremely^  who  are  not  hahitually  governed  by 
this  affection,  will  any  affirm  that  the  mass  of  man- 
kind possess  a  holy  principle  ?  Instead  of  supreme 
habitual  love,  I  shall  prove  that  they  do  not  love 
God  at  all,  but  are  his  enemies. 

The  mass  of  mankind  do  not  love  God  at  all.  It 
has  already  been  proved  that  they  who  love  God  in 
the  least  degree  are  heirs  of  all  the  promises  and  will 
inherit  eternal  glory:  of  course  all  who  are  not  en- 
titled to  heaven  are  utterly  destitute  of  this  affection- 

jects  may  frequently  engross  his  attention :  his  views  may  often 
be  obscured  when  his  attention  Is  directed  to  God :  through  the 
Insensible  influence  of  selfish  passions  he  may  neglect  to  rouse 
himself  to  discern  the  will  of  God,  and  by  that  means  may  omit 
many  self-denying  duties  which  a  realizing  sense  of  divine  au- 
thority would  have  enforced :  by  the  same  means  his  attention 
may  be  drawn  away  from  the  Interests  of  others  and  leave  his 
mind  to  sleep  over  a  perishing  world.  But  in  almost  all  these 
eeasons  let  God  present  himself  before  him  and  fix  the  attention 
upon  himself,  and  there  Is  found  a  temper  to  prefer  him  and  his 
interest  to  all  other  objects  :  there  is  found  a  heart  which  in  the 
trying  hour  would  die  for  the  name  of  Jesus. 


76  NATURAL   AFFECTIONS 

III  the  last  lecture  I  cited  a  number  of  texts  which 
asserted  that  natm'al  iTien  do  not  desire  God,  do  not 
seek  God,  do  not  fear  God,  do  not  knoiv  God,  and 
have  no  desires  after  Christ.  In  addition  to  all  this, 
I  am  now  to  present  you  with  several  classes  of 
men  who  are  expressly  declared  not  to  love  God. 
■  They  who  hate  any  of  their  fellow  men,  do  not  love 
God  :  ''^  If  a  man  say,  I  love  God,  and  hafeth  his 
brother,  he  is  a  liar;  for  he  that  loveth  not  his  brother 
whom  he  hath  seen,  how  can  he  love  God,  whom  he  hath 
not  seenf^  The  reasoning  in  this  passage  proves 
that  there  is  no  love  to  God  without  universal  love 
to  man ;  for  if  a  single  individual  is  excluded  from 
our  good  will,  the  reasoning  lies  full  against  us. 
Again,  they  who  ivithhold  alms  do  not  love  God: 
"  Whoso  hath  this  world's  goods  and  seeth  his 
brother  have  need  and  shutteth  up  his  bowels  of 
compassion  from  him,  hoiv  dtoelleth  the  love  of  God  in 
himf^^  Again,  they  who  reject  the  Gosjjel  do  not 
love  God.  It  was  on  this  account  that  om*  Saviour 
said  to  the  Jews,  "  I  know  you  that  ye  have  not  the 
love  of  God  in  you^  "  If  God  were  your  Father  "  ye 
would  love  me,  for  I  proceeded  forth  and  came  from 
God  ;  neither  came  I  of  myself,  but  he  sent  me." 
Again,  they  who  disobey  God  do  not  love  him  :  "  He 
that  hath  my  commandments  and  keepeth  them,  he  it 
is  that  loveth  me,  —  if  a  man  love  me  he  will  keep  my 
words.  —  He  that  loveth  me  not  keepeth  not  my  sayings. 
Ye  are  my  friends  if  ye  do  tvhatsoever  I  command  you.^^ 
Again,  none  of  the  wicked  whom  God  will  destroy  have 
any  love  to  him  :   "  The  Lord  preserveth  all  them  that 


NOT  HOLINESS.  77 

love  him^  hut  all  the  wicked  will  he  destroy. '''*  (Ps.  cxlv. 
20;  John  v.  42  and  viii.  42  and  xiv.  21,  23,  24  and  xv. 
14 ;  1  John  iii.  17  and  iv.  20.) 

All  then  who  either  hate  any  of  their  fellow  men, 
(in  other  words,  lack  universal  love  to  mankind,)  or 
withhold  ajrms  from  the  needy,  or  reject  the  Gospel, 
or  habitually  disobey  the  divine  commands,  or  are 
of  the  class  that  will  finally  perish,  or  are  not  at 
present  heirs  of  salvation,  are  utterly  destitute  of 
love  to  God.  And  pray,  will  not  these  classes  in- 
clude every  natural  man  on  earth  ? 

That  natural  men  possess  no  love  to  God  is  further 
evident  from  this,  that  the  love  of  God  is  "  the  fruit 
of  the  Spirit ; "  "  The  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad 
in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  given  unto 
us."  (Rom.  v.  5.)  The  same  truth  is  further  evi- 
dent from  the  consideration  that  the  unregenerate 
do  not  love  the  image  of  God  in  his  children.  "  We 
know  that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life  because 
we  love  the  brethren.^^  "  Every  one  that  loveth  [the 
brethren,]  is  born  of  God  and  knoweth  God."  (1 
John  iii.  14  and  iv.  7.) 

Thus  it  appears  that  the  whole  mass  of  natural 
men  are  entirely  destitute  of  love  to  God.  Here  1 
might  rest  my  cause.  But  there  is  proof  against 
the  world  still  more  decisive.  The  whole  race  of 
natural  men  are  his  enemies.  It  has  already  appeared 
that  there  are  no  neutrals^  that  they  who  are  not  for 
God  are  against  him.  This,  joined  with  the  last 
particular,  makes  out  full  proof  that  the  whole  body 
of  natural  men  are  his  enemies.  Again,  it  has  been 
7* 


78  NATURAL  AFFECTIONS 

proved  that  all  who  serve  mammon,  who  are  friends 
of  the  world,  who  love  another  object  supremely,  are 
the  enemies  of  God.  And  can  it  be  doubted  that 
these  descriptions  are  applicable  to  all  natural  men? 
But  I  have  further  evidence  to  offer.  Let  us  in  the 
first  place  dispose  of  the  heathen  world.  This  great 
portion  of  the  human  race  are  expressly  set  down 
by  the  apostle,  in  the  first  chapter  of  Romans,  as 
"  haters  of  God.'*''  Nor  did  they  obtain  this  character 
by  being  heathen,  but  they  became  idolaters  because 
"  they  did  not  like  to  retain  God  in  their  knowledge.''^  In 
the  second  place  let  us  settle  the  question  as  it  re- 
spects the  Jewii>h  world.  Of  this  second  great  division 
of  mankind  our  Saviour  says :  "  They  have  both 
seen  and  hated  both  me  and  my  Father."*^  In  the  next 
place  let  us  take  up  the  question  as  it  relates  to  the 
whole  ivorld.  And  what  says  our  Saviour  to  this  ? 
^'  If  THE  WORLD  hate  you^  ye  know  that  it  hated  me 
before  it  hated  you.  —  He  that  hateth  yne  hateth  my^ 
Fcfther  aJso.^^  On  no  other  principle  can  you  account 
for  the  rancorous  opposition  which  the  ivorld  have 
always  made  to  the  Gospel  and  disciples  of  Christ. 
"Marvel  not  —  if  the  world  hate  youP  "If  they 
have  called  the  master  of  the  house  Beelzebub,  how 
much  more  them  of  his  household. —  Think  not  that 
I  am  come  to  send  peace  on  earth ;  I  came  not  to 
send  peace,  but  a  sword.  For  I  am  come  to  set  a 
man  at  variance  against  his  father,  and  the  daughter 
against  her  mother ;  — and  a  man's  foes  shall  be  they 
of  his  own  household."  "  And  the  brother  shall  de- 
liver up  the  brother  to  death,  and  the  father  the  child ; 


NOT  HOLINESS.  79 

and  the  children  shall  rise  up  against  their  parents 
and  cause  them  to  be  put  to  death.  And  ye  shall 
be  hated  of  all  men  for  my  name^s  sake^  But  the 
apostle  has  put  this  question  finally  to  rest  by  rank- 
ing all  men  among  the  "  haters  of  God"  who  retain 
the  carnal  or  natural  heart :  "  The  carnal  [  fleshly] 
mind  is  enmity^  [not  unfriendly^  but  enmity\  against 
God  ;  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither 
indeed  can  be.  So  then  they  that  are  in  the  flesh 
cannot  please  God."  If  you  would  know  without 
a  doubt  who  they  are  that  are  in  the  flesh,  or  possess 
the  fleshly  mind,  our  Saviour  will  tell  you  at  once  : 
"  That  which  is  horn  of  the  flesh  is  fleshP  This  he 
said  to  Nicodemus  to  show  him  from  the  defect  of 
the  first  birth  the  necessity  of  being  born  again.  All 
that  is  born  by  natural  generation  then  is  fleshy  is 
carnal^  is  enmity  against  God,  until  it  is  born  again, 
4Mat.  X.  21,  22,  25,  34—36;  John  iii.  6  and  v.  40 
and  XV.  18,  23,  24 ;  Rom.  i.  28,  30  and  viii.  7,  8 ;  1 
John  iii.  13.) 

And  now  let  me  repeat  the  question,  can  there  be 
a  particle  of  universal  benevolence  in  those  who  hate 
the  being  that  comprehends  in  himself  infinitely  the 
greatest  portion  of  existence  ?  Or  a  particle  of  love 
for  moral  excellence  in  those  who  hate  the  being  that 
contains  infinitely  the  greatest  portion  of  moral 
excellence  in  himself,  and  hate  him  for  that  very 
reason  ? 

III.  By  the  same  standard  let  us  now  test  the 
natural  principles  which  have  been  mentioned. 

Enough  has  been  said  to  show  that  these  princi- 


80  NATURAL  AFFECTIONS 

pies  must  be  essentially  different  from  holiness, 
because  they  are  found  in  the  great  mass  of  those 
who  have  been  proved  to  be  destitute  of  holiness. 
But  it  may  be  profitable  to  pursue  this  subject  a 
little  further. 

I  begin  by  remarking  that  these  principles  may 
easily  be  conceived  to  have  been  implanted  in  men 
to  fit  them  to  live  together  in  this  world,  without 
being  at  all  designed  to  qualify  them  for  subjects  of 
the  universal  kingdom  of  God.  Domestic  affections 
were  lodged  in  their  nature  to  render  them  good 
members  of  a  family.  But  these  cannot  constitute 
them  useful  members  of  the  state^  without  patriotism. 
By  analogy,  patriotism  and  all  the  other  limited  af- 
fections cannot  render  them  good  citizens  of  the 
universe  without  universal  love  or  holiness.  And  to 
cherish  the  hope  of  being  qualified  for  heaven  by 
these,  is  like  expecting  by  mere  domestic  affections  to 
be  fitted  to  subserve  and  even  to  manage  the  inter- 
ests of  a  nation  without  a  spark  of  patriotism. 

Some  of  these  principles,  (particularly  the  moral 
sense,)  appear  to  be  essential  to  a  moral  agent. 
Others,  which  are  of  the  nature  of  disinterested 
affections,  were  doubtless  intended  to  act  as  re- 
straints on  selfishness,  to  enable  men  to  live  in 
society;  as  without  them  it  is  manifest  the  world 
would  be  a  hell  and  wholly  unfit  for  the  purposes  of 
probation.  But  they  may  all  be  traced  to  sources 
entirely  distinct  from  universal  love.  Of  these,  the 
principal  appear  to  be  three. 

1.     Self-love.     A  great  part  of  natural  gratitude, 


NOT   HOLINESS.  81 

the  sense  of  honor,  and  the  love  of  country,  may  be 
traced  to  this  source ;  the  other  parts,  to  sources  yet 
to  be  named.  Now  I  suppose  it  will  be  readily  ac- 
knowledged, by  most  of  my  hearers,  that  the  mere 
streams  of  self-love  cannot  be  holy. 

2.  The  love  of  natural  fitness^  or  of  beautiful  pro- 
portions and  relations,  both  in  things  material  and 
immaterial.  From  this  principle  men  are  pleased  with 
the  proper  proportions  of  a  building,  the  good  order 
of  a  family,  the  relations  established  in  a  well-regu- 
lated State,  the  beautiful  proportions  of  justice,  of 
gratitude,  of  the  virtues  generally,  and  the  exact  fit- 
ness of  one  thing  to  another  in  the  government  of  God. 
There  is  certainly  much  natural  beauty  in  all  these 
things,  (independent  of  their  simple  subserviency  to 
the  glory  of  God  and  the  happiness  of  his  creation^) 
which  therefore  can  please  a  mind  that  is  a  stranger 
to  universal  love.  Can  you  not  see  a  wide  difference 
between  delighting  in  proper  proportions,  and  delight- 
ing in  the  happiness  of  general  being  ?  Yet  to  a  law 
of  our  nature  as  distinct  from  benevolence  as  this,  (a 
law  aided,  indeed,  by  many  associations  of  ideas,) 
may  be  traced  the  operations  of  conscience,  or  the 
moral  sense, —  the  approbation  of  justice,  of  grati- 
tude, of  virtue  generally,  —  the  principle  which  we 
call  taste,  —  and  a  part  of  those  which  are  denomi- 
nated honor  and  patriotism. 

Are  these  principles  holy  ?  Try  the  question  in 
relation  to  conscience,  which  perhaps  has  the  fairest 
pretension  to  this  rank.  If  the  approbation  which 
conscience  yields  to  the  character  and  government  of 


82  NATURAL   AFFECTIONS 

God  were  Tioly  love,  remorse  of  conscience  would  be 
true  repentance,  and  then  there  would  be  true  repent- 
ance in  the  world  where  the  worm  never  dies. 

3.  Instincts.  Under  this  head  may  be  ranked  a  class 
of  affections  really  disinterested,  (because  they  termi- 
nate in  the  happiness  of  others,)  amounting  to  a  sort 
of  limited  benevolence.  Of  this  class  are  the  domes- 
tic affections.  Of  this  class  is  humanity,  compre- 
hending compassion,  and  whatever  else  is  pleasant 
in  the  social  dispositions  not  included  under  the  for- 
mer names. 

These  affections  are  all  amiable  and  useful  in  their 
pl9.ce ;  and,  when  duly  subordinated,  materially  aid 
the  local  operations  of  holy  love.  And  being  not  de- 
structible but  by  an  uncommon  domination  of  selfish- 
ness, their  extinction  becomes  a  mark  of  the  last  stages 
of  degeneracy.  (Rom.  i.  31 ;  2  Tim.  iii.  3.)  But  their 
grand  defect  is  that  they  are  limited,  in  their  very  nature, 
to  a  contracted  circle.  They  do  not  go  up  to  God, 
and  breathe,  through  him,  good  wishes  to  the  whole 
intellectual  system.  They  brood,  exclusively,  over  a 
private  interest ;  and,  unless  bound  by  a  better  prin- 
ciple, are  ready  to  fly  in  the  face  of  the  whole  uni- 
verse that  comes  to  disturb  that.  In  their  greatest 
enlargement,  they  still  exclude  the  Creator.  They 
stop  at  the  threshold  of  being.  They  fix  on  a  drop 
of  the  ocean.  Should  they  love  a  world  as  tenderly 
as  a  parent  loves  his  child,  and  stop  there,  they  would 
still  be  in  hostility  to  infinitely  the  greatest  portion  of 
existence.  A  limited  affection  (limited,  I  mean,  not 
by  the  contracted  view  or  capacity  of  the  subject,  but 


NOT    HOLINESS.  83 

by  its  own  nature)  necessarily  includes,  as  it  stands 
alone,  a  principle  of  hostility  to  the  universe.  The 
parent  rises  against  God  for  taking  away  his  child.* 
The  patriot  sets  his  country  in  array  against  all  the 
rest  of  the  world.  The  most  extended  of  all  these 
private  affections,  regards  but  an  infinitely  small  part 
of  universal  being,  and  is  prone  to  set  up  the  interest 
of  that  portion  in  opposition  to  the  rest.  Till  they 
are  subdued  and  bound  and  subjected  by  religion, 
they  are  all  as  really  hostile  to  the  universe  as  the 
most  contracted  selfishness. 

Of  all  these  instincts,  that  which  most  resembles 
holy  love  is  humanity.  Yet  even  here,  the  difference  is 
easily  traced.  In  those  operations  of  humanity  which 
we  call  compassion^  men  are  generally  satisfied  with 
relieving  the  object  from  misery,  with  little  concern 
for  his  positive  happiness.  In  some  cases,  (as  where 
an  enemy  suffers,)  they  do  not  desire  the  positive  hap- 
piness of  the  object,  nor  even  his  complete  relief,  but 
only  some  alleviation  of  his  sufferings.  In  no  case 
do  they  wish  him  the  highest  degree  even  of  earthly 

*  If  you  ascribe  this  effect  to  self-love^  it  does  not  weaken  the 
argument.  As  far  as  the  parent  feels  a  personal  calamity,  it  is 
because  he  loved  his  child.  Now  if  you  are  disposed  to  put  the 
love  of  his  child  on  a  level  with  the  love  of  wealthy  and  call  it  a 
mere  personal  taste  which  selfishness  loves  to  gratify,  it  renders 
the  affection  no  less  hostile.  But  where  the  parent  fears  for  the 
happiness  of  the  dead,  he  certainly  mourns  for  another,  as  well  a3 
for  himself.  I  admit  that  if  self-love  were  subjected,  he  would  not 
murmur  ;  for  then  his  parental  love  would  be  subjected  also. 
But  the  two  still  appear  to  be  distinct  grounds  of  unsubmission. 


84  NATURAL  AFFECTIONS 

prosperity,  and  during  the  greatest  commotion  of 
their  pity  would  be  grieved  to  know  that  he  was  des- 
tined one  day  to  outshine  themselves.  But  holy  love 
knows  no  siich  limits ;  it  wishes  its  object  the  great- 
est measure  of  happiness  that  his  capacity  will  admit. 

In  cases  where  humanity  desires  the  positive  happi- 
ness of  a  wide  extent  of  society^  it  then  makes,  of  all  the 
natural  affections,  the  nearest  approaches  to  univer- 
sal benevolence.  This  is  the  hardest  case  of  all.  But 
even  here,  the  difference  may  be  plainly  perceived. 
For,  first :  if  in  this  shape  humanity  were  holy  love, 
it  would,  in  all  its  subjects,  stand  connected  with  the 
love  of  God  and  Christ  and  the  Gospel. — But  some 
of  its  highest  actings  I  have  seen  in  a  sweet-tem- 
pered infidel,  who  never  betrayed  any  malice  except 
against  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  Secondly  :  if  human- 
ity were  holy  love,  it  would,  in  all  cases,  wish  its 
object  the  best  kind  of  happiness,  —  that  of  com- 
munion with  God.  And  thirdly  :  it  wovild  take  the 
highest  complacency  in  that  benevolence  which 
makes  God  its  centre,  and  would  long  to  see  such  a 
temper  universal.  But  in  these  three  important  re- 
spects it  fails.  It  acts  vigorously  in  many  an  infidel, 
without  exciting  one  solitary  wish  to  see  men  enjoy 
communion  with-  God,  without  producing  the  least 
complacency  in  religion  or  any  desire  for  its  advance- 
ment, without  checking  a  violent  opposition  to  the 
religion  of  Christ  in  every  form. 

This  decisive  proof  of  unholiness,  lies  against  all 
these  natural  principles.  You  will  find  them  all  in 
violent  opposers  of  God  and  the  Gospel.    You  might 


NOT  HOLINESS.  85 

have  found  them  all  in  the  Jews,  of  whom  our  Sa- 
viour said  that  they  had  both  seen  and  hated  both 
him  and  his  Father.  You  might  have  found  them  all 
in  Adam  immediately  after  the  fall,  before  he  began 
to  be  restored  by  grace,  when  it  will  be  acknowledged 
that  he  was  totally  depraved.  Indeed,  in  a  slavish 
subjection  to  these  and  other  limited  affections,  which 
had  raised  their  objects  to  the  place  of  God,  his  whole 
depravity  consisted. 

Further  :  if  these  principles  were  holy,  we  should 
expect  to  see  the  love  of  God  and  real  godliness  pre- 
vail exactly  in  proportion  to  their  strength.  But  so  far 
from  this,  you  find  most  of  them  stronger  in  inlidels 
and  libertines  of  mild  and  generous  dispositions,  than 
in  some  Christians,  whose  tempers  are  naturally  con- 
tracted and  sour. 

It  is  another  conclusive  proof  of  the  unholiness  of 
aU  these  principles,  that  they  not  only  are  unaccom- 
panied with  the  love  which  the  divine  law  requires, 
but  have  no  tendency  to  produce  it.  The  instincts,  for 
instance,  have  no  tendency  to  caiTy  forth  the  heart  to 
God  and  his  kingdom,  because  affections  limited  in 
their  very  nature  have  no  tendency  to  become  unlim- 
ited. And  into  no  affection  but  that  of  universal  be- 
nevolence can  the  love  of  God  enter ;  because  to  love 
God  is  to  be  like  him,  and  God  is  universal  love. 
Thaugh  these  instincts  do  indeed  lay  some  restraints 
on  selfishness^  they  do  not  on  the  whole  diminish  the 
aggregate  strength  of  the  limited  affections  which  act 
against  God.  Of  course  they  have  no  tendency  to 
weaken  th  e  body  of  sin.  They  may  garnish  that  body ; 
8 


86  NATURAL  AFFECTIONS 

they  may  vary  its  forms  ;  but  they  still  leave  it  in  full 
life.  Show  me  an  unsanctilied  worldling  who  pos- 
sesses all  these  principles  in  the  highest  degree,  and 
has  cultivated  them  with  the  most  studious  care,  and 
I  will  show  you  one  who  loves  himself  as  inordi- 
nately as  any  other  sinner,  though  his  pride  and  edu- 
cation and  the  manners  of  cultivated  society  may 
have  thrown  his  selfishness  into  new  forms  and  drawn 
over  it  the  vail  of  good  breeding.  I  will  show  you 
one  whose  pride  is  in  full  strength,  whose  idolatrous 
love  of  the  ivorld  is  not  a  whit  abated,  and  whose  UU' 
belief  has  never  opened  its  eyes.  And  with  these  four 
grand  sins  of  a  depraved  soul  in  full  vigor,  what  has 
he  gained,  in  point  of  real  sanctification,  by  all  his 
natural  principles  ?  A  little  paring  and  polishing  of 
the  extremities,  but  the  pulse  of  sin  still  beats  strong 
at  the  heart.  The  most  that  he  can  boast  of  is  love 
to  man.  But  is  even  that  love,  such  as  the  divine  law 
requires  ?  No :  the  love  contemplated  in  the  Second  Ta- 
ble, far  from  being  natural,  is  "  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit," 
the  offspring  of  regenerating  grace :  "  Beloved,  let  us 
love  one  another^  for  love  is  of  God,  and  every  one 
that  loveth  is  horn  of  God  and  knoweth  God."  — 
"  We  know  that  we  h^ive  passed  frovi  death  nnto  life, 
because  we  love  the  brethren.^''  "  By  this  we  know 
that  we  love  the  children  of  God,  when  we  love  God 
and  keep  his  commandments  ^  (Gal.  v.  22;  IJohniii. 
14  and  iv.  7  and  v.  2.)  So  long  as  men  retain  "  the 
carnal  mind"  of  "enmity  against  God,"  they  have 
no  true  charity  to  men,  not  even  to  good  men.  In 
every  point  of  view  they  fall  short  of  that "  love"  which 


NOT   HOLINESS.  87 

"  is  the  fulfilling'  of  the  law."  And,  this  wanting, 
what  are  all  their  natural  affections  ?  This  wanting, 
miraculous  poiuers  are  nothing,  nothing  the  consecra- 
tion of  all  their  goods  to  feed  the  poor  and  of  their 
bodies  to  be  burned.  (1  Cor.  xiii.  1 — 3.)  Their  inscrip- 
tion still  is,  Destitute  of  that  "  holiness^  ivithout  which 
no  man  shall  see  the  Lord^ 

Let  the  unregenerate  hear  this.  Let  the  unsancti- 
fied  think  of  this.  Let  it  follow  them  to  their  closets 
and  then*  pillows.  And  O  let  the  peal  never  cease  to 
ring  through  their  ears.  Destitute  of  that  ''^  holiness^ 
without  which  no  man  shall  see  the  Loi'd^ 


, LECTURE    IV. 

SUPEEME    LOVE    OR   ENMITY. 
MATTHEW  VI.  24. 

NO  MAN  CAN  SERVE  TWO  MASTERS;  FOR  EITHER  HE  WILL 
HATE  THE  ONE  AND  LOVE  THE  OTHER,  OR  ELSE  HE  WILL 
HOLD  TO  THE  ONE  AND  DESPISE  THE  OTHER  :  YE  CAN- 
NOT SERVE  GOD  AND  MAMMON. 

In  the  last  lecture,  you  saw  the  doctrine  of  total 
depravity  deduced  from  the  nature  of  holiness  ;  in 
this,  you  will  see  the  same  truth  drawn  from  the 
nature  of  sin.  From  the  nature  of  sin  I  shall  under- 
take to  prove  that  the  mass  of  men  are  the  enemies 
of  God ;  and  this,  as  appeared  in  the  foregoing 
lecture,  amounts  to  the  fullest  proof  that  they  are 
totally  depraved. 

Our  text  distinctly  affirms  that  to  love  another 
object  supremely,  is  to  be  the  enemy  of  God.  "  No 
man  can  serve  two  masters ;"  no  man  can  satisfy 
two  conflicting  claims  ;  no  man  can  be  under  the 
commanding  influence  of  God  and  mammon.  Either 
he  will  hate  God  and  love  mammon,  or  he  will  cleave 


SUPREME  LOVE  OR  ENMITY.  89 

to  God  and  despise  mammon.  If  one  is  supreme,  the 
other  must  be  hated  or  despised.  The  reasoning, 
though  applied  to  luealth^  is  not  confined  to  it ;  the  ap- 
plication being  intended  only  to  furnish  an  instance 
to  illustrate  what  is  manifestly  laid  down  as  a  uni- 
versal maxim,  that "  no  man  can  serve  two  masters," 
—  that  no  man  can  love  two  objects,  severally  and 
imperatively  claiming  to  be  supreme.  The  plain  in- 
struction is,  that  the  man  who  loves  any  creature 
supremely,  is  the  enemy  of  God.  And  this  is  taught, 
expressly,  by  the  apostle  James  :  "  The  friendship  of 
the  world  is  enmity  with  God  :  whosoever,  therefore, 
will  be  a  friend  of  the  world,  is  the  enemy  of  God." 
(James  iv.  4.) 

When  I  speak  of  supreme  love  to  the  ivorld,  I 
mean  nothing  different  from  supreme  self  loYe.  What 
is  self-love  ?  No  man  feels  ihsd  fondness  for  his  own 
person,which  he  may  feel  for  another.  Nothing  can 
be  meant  by  the  love  of  himself,  but  a  regard  for  the 
happiness  attached  to  his  own  consciousness.  Now  that 
happiness  can  reach  his  consciousness  through  no 
other  medium  than  the  gratification  of  his  tastes  and 
feelings.  Self-love,  then,  is  a  regard  for  the  gi'atifica- 
tion  of  one's  own  tastes  and  feelings.  And  what  is 
the  love  of  the  ivorld  ?  Not  a  mere  relish  for  worldly 
things,  as  food,  a  landscape,  a  garden,  etc.  That 
relish  is  not  indeed  self-love,  nor  is  it  what  the  Scrip- 
tures mean  by  the  love  of  the  world.  The  love  of  the 
world  is  a  doting  on  worldly  things.  And  why  ? 
No  man  loves  these  things  as  he  loves  beings  capa- 
ble of  pleasure  or  pain,  with  an  affection  terminating 
8* 


90  SUPREME   LOVE 

in  them.  He  dotes  on  them,  (except  so  far  as  he  re- 
gards them  as  the  means  of  happiness  to  others,)  only 
as  instruments  of  his  oicn  stratification,  that  is,  as  in- 
struments of  his  own  happiness.  And  to  dote  on  wealth 
and  honor,  for  instance,  as  the  mere  instruments  of 
his  own  happiness,  is  not  distinct  from  loving  himself. 
All  that  is  sinful,  then,  in  the  love  of  the  world,  (ex- 
cept the  small  portion  to  be  charged  to  the  account 
of  undue  social  affections,)  is  comprehended  in  inor- 
dinate self-love,  or  selfishness.  To  this  principle,  as 
the  grand  root  of  sin,  I  now  wish  to  draw  your  atten- 
tion. The  thoughts  which  I  have  to  suggest  on  this 
subject,  shall  be  arranged  under  the  following  heads  : 

I.  The  grand  root  of  sin  is  inordinate  self-love. 

II.  Every  man  who  is  not  supremely  attached  to 
God,  is  supremely  attached  to  himself. 

HI.  Supreme  self-love  necessarily  produces  enmity 
to  God. — It  follows,  from  these  principles, 

IV.   That  all  men,  by  nature,  are  God's  enemies. 

I.       The  grand  root  of  sin,  is  inordinate  self-love. 

Unless  something  is  loved  or  regarded  as  desirable, 
there  can  be  no  motive  to  action,  no  excitation  of 
feeling,  nothing  to  inflame  the  passions.  The  love 
of  something,  therefore,  must  precede  every  sinful 
action  or  emotion.  As  then  holiness  radically  con- 
sists in  the  love  of  imiversal  being,  (as  was  shown  in 
the  last  lecture,)  the  root  of  sin,  its  opposite,  must  be 
foynd  in  love  confined  to  a  private  circle  or  object, 
—  in  a!Tections  so  limited  as  to  set  up  the  interest  or 
gratification  of  an  individual,  a  family,  a  country,  or 
a  world,  in  opposition  to  the  interest  of  God  and  the 


OR  ENMITY.  91 

universe.  Now  it  is  a  law  of  these  limited  affections, 
that  their  strength  increases  as  their  circles  contract. 
No  man  loves  the  world  at  large  as  well  as  he  loves 
his  own  country,  nor  his  country  as  well  as  his  fam- 
ily, nor  his  family  as  well  as  himself.  Self-love,*  of 
course,  becomes  the  ruling  passion,  and  by  far  the 
most  productive  source  of  sin.  It  is  obviously  this 
which  produces  pride ;  and  "  only  by  pride  cometh 
contention^  (Prov.  xiii.  10).  Only  by  pride  come, 
therefore,  the  causes  of  contention,  viz.  anger,  malice, 
envy,  self-vnll,  ambition,  and,  I  may  add,  the  whole 
family  of  dependent  vices.  Self-love  originates  almost 
all  the  actions  which  men  have  agreed  to  denomi- 
nate crimes.  Self-love,  fixing  chiefly  on  the  world  as 
the  grand  instrument  of  personal  gratification,  offers 
all  the  worship  that  is  paid  to  the  world's  trinity,  — 
riches,  honor,  and  pleasure.  How  gi'eat  a  proportion 
of  the  sin  of  man  is  comprehended  in  this  operation 
of  selfishness,  may  be  estimated  from  the  fact  that  a 
single  branch  of  this  idolatry,  viz.  "the  love  of  money," 
has  been  pronounced  by  an  apostle,  "  the  root  of  all 
evil."  (1  Tim.  vi.  10.)  Self-love,  while  it  often  acts 
towards  God  in  gratitude  and  desires  after  future 
happiness,  is    almost  the  exclusive    source,  as  will 

*  When  I  speak  of  self-love  as  tlie  source  of  sin,  I  mean  self- 
love  iinsuhjected  hy  a  liirjher  principle.,  or  inordinate  self-love, 
properly  denominated  selJi-sJuiess.  Mere  self-love  is  only  the  love 
of  happiness,  and  aversion  to  misery  ;  and,  so  far  from  belnji  sin- 
ful, Is  an  essential  attribute  of  a  rational  and  even  of  a  sensitive 
nature. 


92 


SUPREME  LOVE 


presently  appear,  of  all  the  enmity  that  is  exercised 
against  him. 

That  this  principle,  in  its  inordinate  degrees,  is  the 
exact  opposite  of  holy  love,  or  charity,  will  be  evi- 
dent from  almost  any  selection  you  can  make  from 
the  precepts,  prohibitions,  or  didactic  parts  of  Scrip- 
ture. The  following  texts,  selected  almost  at  random, 
will  be  sufficient  for  the  purpose.* 


THE      DISINTERESTEDNESS     AND 
SELF-DENIAL   OF   HOLY    LOVE. 


the  bias  of  sin  towards 
one's  own  interest. 


"  Charity  —  seeketh  not 
her  own." 

"  If  any  man  will  come  af- 
ter me,  let  him  deny  himself 
and  take  up  his  cross." 


"  If  thou  turn  away  —  from 
doing  thy  pleasure  on  my  holy 
day,  —  not  doing  thine  own 
ways,  nor  finding  thine  own 
pleasure,  —  then  —  I  will  — 
feed  thee." 

"Whosoever  will  lose  his 
life  for  my  sake,  shall  find  it." 


"  Men  shall  be  lovers  of 
their  oum  selves" 

"  Who  have  said,  —  our 
lips  are  our  own,  who  is  lord 
over  us  ?  "  "  My  river  is  my 
own,  and  /  have  made  it  for 
myself" 

"  How  can  ye  believe, 
which  receive  honor  one  of 
another  ?  " 


"  Whosoever  will  save  his 
life,  shall  lose  it." 


*  Some  of  the  texts  in  the  left  column  are  quoted  only  to 
shoAv  how  constantly  the  divine  Spirit  espouses  the  part  of  others 
against  self,  by  appealing  to  what  we  ourselves  have  done  against 
others,  or  what  mercy  we  ourselves  need  from  others,  or  by  in- 
sisting that  our  regard  for  others  should  be  measured  by  the  claims 
which  we  make  on  them.  In  the  right  column,  several  texts  are 
inserted  merely  to  show  how  many  different  sorts  of  sin  may,  at 
first  sight  or  by  a  moment's  reflection,  be  traced  to  this  source. 


OR  ENMITY. 


93 


"  Let  no  man  seek  his 
oivn^  but  every  man  another  s 
wealth."  ''  Look  not  every 
man  on  his  own  things,  but 
every  man  also  on  the  things 
of  others." 

"As  ye  would  that  men 
should  do  to  you,  do  ye  also 
to  them  likewise."  "  For  all 
the  law  is  fulfilled  in  one 
word,  even  in  this,  Thou  shalt 
love  tliy  neighbor  as  thyself" 
"  We  then  that  are  strong 
ought  to  bear  the  infirmities 
of  the  weak,  and  not  to  please 
ourselves.  Let  every  one  of 
?/s  please  his  neighbor  for  his 
good  to  edification  ;  for  even 
Christ  pleased  not  himself." 
*•  If  a  man  be  overtaken  in  a 
fault,  ye  which  are  spiritual 
restore  such  a  one  in  the  spir- 
it of  meekness,  considering 
thyself  lest  thou  also  be  tempt- 
ed. Bear  ye  one  another's 
burdens,  and  so  fulfil  the  law 
of  Christ."  "  Take  no  heed 
*mto  all  words  that  are  spoken, 
lest  thou  hear  thy  servant 
curse  tliee  :  for  oftentimes  al- 
so thine  own  heart  knowetli 
that  thou  thyself  likeicise  hast 
cursed  others." 

"  Avenge  not  yourselves, 
but  rather  give  place  unto 
wrath."  "  Recompense  no 
man  evil  for  evil."  "  For- 
give, and  ye  shall  be  for- 
given." "  Love  your  ene- 
mies, do  good  to  them  which 
\\?ii(iyou,  bless  them  that  curse 
you,  and  pray  for  them  that 


"  All  seek  their  own,  not 
the  things  which  are  Jesus 
Christ's."  "  They  —  serve 
not  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
but  their  own  belly" 

"  If  ye  were  of  the  world, 
the  world  would  love  his  own; 
but  because  ye  are  not  of  the 
world,  —  therefore  the  world 
hateth  you." 

"  Why  beholdest  thou  the 
mote  that  is  in  thy  brother's 
eye,  and  considerest  not  the 
beam  that  is  in  thine  own 
eye  ?  "  "  Wherein  thou  judg- 
est  another  thou  condemnest 
thyself.  Thou  —  art  confident 
that  thou  thyself  art  a  guide  of 
the  blind,  —  an  instructor  of 
the  foolish.  —  Thou  therefore 
which  teachest  another,  teach- 
est  thou  not  thyself^  Thou 
that  preachest  a  man  should 
not  steal,  dost  thou  steal  ?  " 


"  From  whence  come  wars 
and  fightings  among  you  ? 
Come  they  not  hence,  even 
of  your  lusts  ?  \_selfish  covet- 
ings,  according  to  that  explan- 
ation, "  I  had  not  known  lust 
except  the  law  had  said,  Thou 
shalt  not  covet."']  —  Ye  lust 
and  have  not  j  ye  kill,  and  de- 


94 


SUPREME   LOVE 


despitefully  use  you.  And  un- 
to him  that  smiteth  thee  on 
the  clieek  offer  also  the  otlier. 
—  For  if  ye  love  them  which 
love  you^  what  thank  have 
ye  ?  for  sinners  also  love  those 
that  love  them.  And  if  ye 
do  good  to  them  which  do 
good  to  you.,  what  thank  have 
ye  ?  for  sinners  also  do  even 
the  same  ?  " 

"  If  there  be  —  any  com- 
fort of  love^  —  let  nothing  be 
done  through  strife  or  vain 
glory ;  but  in  lowliness  of 
mind  let  each  esteem  other 
better  than  themselves."  "  Be 
kindly  aifectioned  one  to 
another  with  brotherly  love, 
in  honor  preferring  one  an- 
other."— "  Seekestthou  great 
things  ybr  thyself?  seek  them 
not."  '*  Mind  not  high  things, 
but  condescend  to  men  of  low 
estate.  Be  not  wise  in  your 
own  conceits."  "  For  I  say — 
to  every  man  —  not  to  think 
of  himself  more  highly  than 
he  ought  to  think."  "We 
had  the  sentence  of  death  in 
ourselves,  that  we  should  not 
trust  in  ourselves  but  in  God." 
"Trust  in  the  Lord  with  all 
thy  heart  and  lean  not  unto 
thine  own  understanding.  — 
Be  not  wise  in  thine  own 
eyes."  "  Charity  vaunteth  not 
itself,  is  not  puffed  up." 

"  We  preach  not  ourselves, 
but  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord, 
and  ourselves  your  servants 
for  Jesus'  sake."    "  Beins  af- 


sire  to  have,  and  cannot  obtain ; 
ye  fight  and  war,  and  yet  ye 
have  not." 


"  Only  by  pride  cometh  con- 
tention." [The  selfishness  of 
pride  is  apparent  to  all.] 
"  He  that  is  of  a  proud  heart 
stirreth  up  strife."  Desirous 
of  vain  glory,  provoking  one 
another,  envying  one  an- 
other." "Presumptuous  are 
they,  self-willed,  they  are 
not  afraid  to  speak  evil  of 
dignities."  "Ye  are  they 
which  justify  yourselves  before 
men."  "  I  have  spread  out 
my  hands  all  day  unto  a  re- 
bellious people,  —  which  say 
stand  by  thyself,  come  not 
near  to  me,  for  1  am  holiei* 
than  thou."  "  Thou  hast  done 
foolishly  in  lifting  up  thyself." 
"  Be  not  righteous  overmuch, 
neither  make  thyself  over- 
wise." 


"  Some  indeed  preach  Christ 
even  of  envy  and  strife.— T\iQ 
one  preach  Christ  of  conten- 
tion,—  the  other  of  love."  "  He 


OR   ENMITY. 


95 


fectionalely  desirous  of  you, 
we  were  willing  to  have  im- 
parted unto  you,  not  the  Gos- 
pel of  God  only,  but  also  our 
own  souls,  because  ye  were 
dear  unto  us." 

"Who  shall  dwell  in  thy 
holy  hill  ?  —  he  that  sweareth 
to  hts  oivn  hurt  and  changeth 
not." 


"  Render — to  all  their  dues  ; 
tribute  to  whom  tribute  is  due, 
custom  to  whom  custom.  — 
Owe  no  man  anything  but  to 
love  one  another." 

"-  Him  that  taketh  away 
thy  cloak,  forbid  not  to  take 
thy  coat  also.  Give  to  every 
one  that  asketh  of  thee,  and 
of  him  that  taketh  away  thy 
goods  ask  them  not  again.  If 
you  lend  to  them  of  whom  ye 
hope  to  receive,  what  thank 
have  ye  ?  for  sinners  also 
lend  to  sinners  to  receive  as 
much  again.  But  do  good 
and  lend,  hojnng  for  nothing 
again  y 

"  Use  hospitality  one  to  an- 
other without  grudging^* 


that  is  a  hireling,  —  ivhose 
own  the  sheep  are  not,  seeth 
the  wolf  coming  and  leaveth 
the  sheep  and  tleeth." 


"  Take  ye  heed  every  one 
of  his  neighbor,  and  trust  ye 
not  in  any  brother,  for  every 
brother  will  utterly  supplant 
and  every  neighbor  will  walk 
with  slanders.  And  they  will 
deceive  every  one  his  neighbor 
and  will  not  speak  the  truth* 
"  The  hakmces  of  deceit  are 
in  his  hand ;  he  loveth  op- 
pression.'* 


"There  is  utterly  a  fault 
among  you  because  ye  go  to 
latv  one  with  another.  Why 
do  ye  not  rather  take  icrong  ? 
Vihj  do  ye  not  rather  suffer 
yourselves  to  be  defrauded  ? 
Nay,  ye  do  wrong  and  defraud^ 
and  that  your  brethren." 


"  They  murmured  against 
^he  good  man  of  the  house, 
saying,  These  have  wrought 
but  one  hour,  and  thou  hast 
made  them  equal  unto  us 
which  have  borne  the  burden 
and  heat  of  the  day." 


96  SUPREME    LOVE 

"  Sell    that  ye   Lave,   and         ''  Hear  this  word,  ye  kine 
give  alms."     "  Eemember  —     of  Bashan  —  which  ojypi^ess 
them  which  suflfer  adversity,     the  poor,"* 
as    being   yourselves    also   in 
the  body." 

These  passages,  and  numberless  others  which  might 
be  selected,  manifestly  take  it  for  granted  that  the 
controversy  lies  between  a  man's  own  self  and  all 
beings  beyond  him,  and,  to  an  eye  that  closely  in- 
spects them,  render  it  sufficiently  evident  that  self- 
denial  lies  at  the  foundation  of  .all  holiness,  and  that 
the  great  root  of  sin  is  inordinate  self-love. 

II.  Every  man  who  is  not  supremely  attached  to 
God,  is  supremely  attached  to  himself. 

Every  man  has  some  one  object  of  supreme  regard. 
This  will  probably  not  be  denied.  It  will  hardly  be 
pretended  that,  among  the  objects  in  highest  esteem, 
there  are  several  which  hold  exactly  an  equal  rank. 
Every  man  has  his  ruling'  passion;  every  man  has  his 
god;  every  man  has  his  'hnaster.''^  But  "no  man  can 
serve  two  masters."  I  assume,  then,  that  every  man 
has  some  one  object  of  supreme  regard.     But  in  the 

*  Ps.  xii.  4  and  xv,  1,4;  Prov.  iii.  5,  7  and  xiii.  10  and  xxviii. 
25  and  xxx.  32  ;  Eccl.  vii.  16,  21,  22  ;  Isa.  Iviil.  13,  14  and  Ixv.  2, 
5  ;  Jer.  ix.  4,  5  and  xlv.  5  ;  Ezek.  xxix.  3  ;  IIos.  xii.  7  ;  Amos  iv.  1; 
Matt.  vii.  3  and  xvi.  24,  25  and  xx.  11,  12  ;  Luke  vi.  27 — 37  and 
xii.  33  and  xvi.  15  ;  John  x.  12  and  xv.  19  ;  Horn.  ii.  1,  17 — 23 
and  vii.  7  and  xii.  3,  10,  16,  19  and  xiii.  7,  8  and  xv.  1 — 3  and 
xvi.  18  ;  1  Cor.  vi.  7,  8  and  x.'24  and  xiii.  4,  5 ;  2  Cor.  i.  9  and 
iv.  5  ;  Gal.  v.  14,  26  and  vi.  1,  2  ;  Phil.  i.  15—17  and  ii.  1,  3, 
4,  21  ;  1  Thess.  ii.  8  ;  2  Tim.  iii.  2  ;  Heb.  xiii.  3  ;  James  iv.  1, 
2  ;    1  Pet.  iv.  9.    2  Pet.  ii.  10. 


OR  ENMITY.  97 

universe  there  are  but  two,  than  can  possibly  rise  to 
this  rank,  God  and  self.  Where  can  you  find  a  third  ? 
Is  it  the  world  ?  But  all  love  of  the  world  is  compre- 
hended in  self-loYe,  as  has  been  already  shown. — 
Where,  then,  can  you  find  the  third  ?  If  there  were  a 
third,  it  must  be  some  fellow-creature  or  community  of 
creatures.  But  no  man  ever  loved  his  fellow-crea- 
tures supremely.  The  social  affections  may  restrain 
selfishness,  but  cannot  dethrone  self.  Wherever  one's 
essential  interest,  in  both  worlds,  comes  in  competi- 
tion with  that  of  others,  self-love  and  not  the  social 
affections  will  prevail.  For  the  proof  of  this,  I  con- 
fidently appeal  to  every  man's  consciousness,  and 
am  willing  to  rest  my  cause  there,  without  further 
argument. 

It  may  then  be  adopted,  as  an  incontrovertible 
maxim,  that  every  man  makes  either  God  or  himself 
his  supreme  object.* 

*  There  are  some  who  disown  the  distinction  between  selfish 
and  disinterested  affections  :  and  others  who,  while  they  admit  the 
distinction,  maintain  that  all  men  love  themselves  supremely, 
(that  is,  desire  their  own  happiness  more  than  anything  else,)  and 
that  the  only  difference  between  a  good  and  a  bad  man  is,  that 
one  places  Ms  happiness  in  right  things,  the  other  in  wrong.  In 
answer  to  the  first  class,  I  freely  concede  that  in  two  things  all 
beings  agree,  —  in  following  their  inclinations,  and  in  finding  their 
happiness,  so  far  as  they  find  it  at  all,  in  the  gratification  of  their 
inclinations.  But  the  great  difference  lies  in  their  objects.  The 
object  of  the  selfish  man  Is  the  gratification  of  himself;  the  object 
of  the  disinterested  man,  the  happiness  of  others.  One  follows 
his  inclinations  for  the  mere  satisfaction  which  he  is  thence  to  de- 

9 


yS  SUPREME  LOVE 

III.  Supreme  self-love  necessarily  produces  en- 
mity to  God. 

rive ;  the  other,  for  the  happiness  which  he  hopes  to  impart  to 
others.  When  you  spring  to  catch  a  falling  child,  is  it  from  the 
reflection  that  you  must  suffer  with  it,  or  from  direct  regard  to  the 
comfort  of  the  child  ?  Do  you  wish  that  your  dying  friend  may 
he  happy,  or  merely  that  you  may  think  he  is  happy  ?  In  laying 
out  a  course  of  benevolent  conduct,  where  the  mind  has  leisure 
to  contemplate  all  the  good  resulting  from  its  plans,  self-love  will 
doubtless  take  into  account  the  personal  satisfaction  of  doing  good. 
But  if  self-love  stood  alone,  whence  the  satisfaction  of  imparting 
happiness  ?  If  I  love  only  myself,  why  is  it  a  pleasure  to  relieve 
another  ?  Whence  comes  the  inclination  ?  That  must  be  in  com- 
plete existence,  before  I  have  any  chance  to  draw  personal  com- 
fort from  its  indulgence.  It  could  not  be  created  by  the  reflection 
that  if  I  possessed  and  indulged  it,  I  should  be  happy.  But  can 
it  be  necessary  to  employ  arguments  to  prove  that  we  are  capable 
of  really  loving  another,  and  of  being  gratified  by  his  happiness, 
in  itself  considered  ?  And  this  is  all  that  any  one  means  by  disin- 
terested love. 

In  reply  to  the  other  class,  I  as  freely  concede  that  the  differ- 
ence between  a  good  and  a  bad  man,  consists  in  their  placing 
their  happiness,  the  one  in  right  things,  the  other  in  wrong.  But 
is  it  the  right  things,  or  his  own  happiness,  which  the  good  man 
makes  his  supreme  object  f  This  is  the  question.  While  the 
wicked  place  their  whole  happiness  in  gratifying  affections  which 
terminate  in  themselves  or  a  limited  circle,  the  "  right  things,"  in 
which  the  good  place  their  highest  happiness,  (I  suppose  will  not 
be  denied,)  are  the  glory  of  God  and  the  prosperity  of  his  king- 
dom. Now  I  ask,  is  the  satisfaction  which  they  hope  to  derive  to 
themselves  from  that  good,  or  the  good  itself,  their  supreme  object  f 
Do  they  rejoice  more  in  the  reflection  that  they  (rather  than  others) 
shall  enjoy  the  sight  of  God's  glory,  than  that  God  will  be  glorified  ? 


OR  ENMITY.  99 

The  simple  reason  is,  that  God  is  opposed  to  this 
idolatry,  and  requires,  upon  pain  of  eternal  death, 
that  universal  love  which  will  fix  the  heart  supremely 
on  himself.  "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
all  thy  hearty  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  ivith  all  thy  mind^ 
—  and  thy  neighbor  as  thyself:''  (Matt.  xxii.  37—39.) 
thyself  then,  only  as  thy  neighbor.  If  supreme  love 
to  your  neighbor  is  not  allowed,  neither  is  supreme 
love  to  yourself.  But  is  your  neighbor  to  be  loved 
with  all  the  heart  and  soul  and  mifid  ?  That  love  is 
reserved  for  God.  And  it  is  supreme,  unless  one,  at 
the  same  moment  that  he  thus  loves  God,  can  love 
another  object  with  more  than  all  the  heart  and  soul 
and  mind.  Thus  speaks  the  law,  and  sanctions  the 
precept  with  all  its  curses.  And  what  says  the  Gos- 
pel? "If  any  man  come  to  me,  and  hate  not  his 
father  and  mother  and  wife  and  children  and  breth- 
ren and  sisters,  yea  and  his  own  life  also,  he  cannot 
be  my  disciple^  (Luke  xiv.  26.)    By  the  consent,  then, 

If  so,  tliey  no  longer  place  their  supreme  happiness  in  his  glory, 
but  in  their  own  gratification.  —  a  gratification  more  refined,  in- 
deed, than  the  grosser  pleasures  of  sense,  but  still  personal  and  pri- 
vate. To  say  that  they  place  their  supreme  happiness  in  the  glory 
of  God,  and  yet  make  their  own  happiness  the  highest  object,  is 
a  plain  contradiction.  For,  to  place  their  supreme  happiness  in 
the  glory  of  God,  necessarily  implies  that  they  love  and  value  his 
glory  more  than  any  other  object.  I  love  that  most,  in  which  I 
place  my  highest  delight.  How  comes  it  to  pass,  that  the  glory 
of  God  gives  me  the  greatest  satisfaction,  unless  I  love  it  most  ? 
And  if  I  love  it  most,  I  seek  it  most.  And  if  I  love  and  seek  it 
most,  I  make  it  my  supreme  object. 


100  SUPREME  LOVE 

of  both  law  and  Gospel,  all  are  consigned  to  eternal 
death  who  do  not  love  God  supremely. 

This  it  is  which  rouses  the  war.  Supreme  selfish- 
ness cannot  but  be  the  eternal  enemy  of  a  God  who 
makes  such  demands  and  enforces  them  with  such 
penalties,  because  the  demands  and  sanctions  crush 
and  destroy  all  its  dearest  interests.  Here  lies  the 
main  ground  of  hostility.  "  The  carnal  mind  is  en- 
mity against  God,  for  [because]  it  is  not  subject  to 
the  LAW  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be."  (Rom.  viii. 
7.)  A  moral  governor,  who  has  never  been  revealed 
but  in  the  attitude  of  standing  with  a  drawn  sword 
between  the  sinner  and  his  idols,  and  saying.  Touch 
that  idol  and  you  die,  cannot  but  be  hated  by  a  su- 
premely-selfish heart.  Since  the  world  began,  was  it 
ever  known  that  one  stood  full  in  the  way  of  the 
supreme  object  of  a  selfish  man  and  was  not  hated  ? 
The  man  that  idolizes  himself  and  the  instruments 
of  his  own  gi'atification,  cannot  but  hate  the  divine 
holiness,  because  the  whole  strength  of  that  perfec- 
tion acts  directly  against  him.  The  whole  exhibition 
of  that  perfection  consists  in  the  prohibition  and  pun- 
ishment of  this  idolatry,  —  in  the  voice  that  sounds 
through  heaven  and  earth,  "  Thou  shalt  have  no 
other  gods  before  me ;"  "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord 
thy  God  with  all  thy  heart  —  and  thy  neighbor  as 
thyself,"  or  suffer  eternal  pain.  Remove  that  prohi- 
bition and  punishment,  and  you  cover  from  creatures 
every  trace  of  the  Divine  holiness.  Against  the  man, 
then,  who  supremely  loves  himself,  the  whole  strength 
of  the  Divine  holiness  exclusively  acts ;  against  all 


OR    ENMITY.  101 

the  holiness  of  God,  (indeed,  against  his  whole  au- 
thorifi/,)  acts  the  man  whose  heart  centres  in  himself. 
What  but  enmity  and  eternal  war  can  exist  in  such 
a  case  ?  % 

But,  you  say,  I  certainly  can  love  another  object 
while  I  love  myself  supremely.  You  can,  where  that 
object  does  not  interfere  with  self-love  by  essentially 
opposing  your  own  interest.  But,  you  ask,  can  I  not 
love  an  earthly  parent  50we,  while  I  love  myself  more. ^ 
No, — if  that  parent  unchangeably  declares,  I  will 
treat  you  as  an  enemy  forever,  unless  you  love  me  su- 
premely :  do  this,  or  die, — if  he  follows  you  wherever 
you  go,  and  fills  your  ears  with  this  sound  from  morn- 
ing to  night,  and  from  month  to  month, — if  every 
gift  which  he  puts  into  your  hand  is  accompanied 
with  this  declaration, —  and  especially  if  his  charac- 
ter is  all  of  a  piece.  Your  deaf  and  forgetful  brother, 
who  is  unconscious  of  his  father's  law  and  character, 
may  love  his  gifts,  and  feel  some  gratitude  to  the 
giver ;  but  you,  as  certainly  as  you  love  yourself  su- 
premely, can  never  love  such  a  parent,  but  must  feel 
the  strongest  enmity  against  him.  But,  you  say,  I 
could  exercise  some  love  towards  him  if  I  was  con- 
vinced that  his  law  was  just.  What !  love  justice 
against  yourself  and  yet  be  supremely  selfish  ?  If 
your  own  interest  is  paramount  in  your  affections  to 
all  other  considerations,  what  can  induce  you  to  love 
that  justice  which  destroys  your  interest?  That  you 
might  love  the  justice  if  it  were  not  against  you,  I  do 
not  deny.  I  have  admitted  that  sinners  would  not 
hate  God  if  his  law  were  not  against  them.  It  of 
9* 


102  SUl>REME  LOVE 

course  happens  that  they  who  have  expunged  from 
their  creed  all  intimations  of  punishment,  find  no 
difficulty  in  loving  the  god  which  their  fancies  have 
formed.  The  enmity  of  sinners  is  Bot  disinterested 
but  selfish,  as  it  must  be  if  it  arises  from  inordinate 
self-love.  But  did  you  ever  know  a  selfish  man,  who 
loved  the  laiv  that  condemned  him  ?  or  who  loved  the 
law-giver^  whose  ivhole  character  was  transfused  into 
the  law,  and  who  was  himself  the  executioner  ? 

Love  the  justice  which  condemns  you !  Do  you 
consider  where  you  stand  ?  You  have  now  taken 
the  ground  of  disinterested  and  holy  love.  And  what, 
I  pray,  can  prevent  ^/m/  affection  from  fixing  supremely 
on  God  ?  There  is  more  in  him  to  please  and  gi'atify 
such  an  affection,  than  in  the  universe  besides.  Do 
you  say,  that  affection  will  indeed  love  God  more 
than  the  sart^e  affection  will  love  anything  else,  (be- 
cause it  will  love  him  solely^)  but  it  is  weak,  and 
self-love  is  strong  and  has  predominating  influence? 
The  question  then  comes  to  this,  whether  an  affec- 
tion which  delights  in  God  alone,  can  exist  in  a  soul 
that  is  under  the  governing  influence  of  selfishness, 
and  of  course  under  the  governing  influence  of  en- 
mity to  him.  Now  did  you  ever  find  a  mind  bal- 
anced after  this  sort?  Did  you  ever  find  a  mind 
governed  by  enmity  against  a  man  of  a  uniform  and 
consistent  character,  and  at  the  same  time  possessed 
of  an  affection  which  loved  his  whole  character  ? 
Such  a  phenomenon  has  never  appeared  in  the  moral 
or  social  world,  arid  the  fancy  which  created  it  is 
only  a  dream.     It  is  apparent,  then,  that  there  can- 


OR   ENMITY.  103 

not  be  a  particle  of  disinterested  and  holy  love  which 
does  not  fix  supremely  on  God,  (whenever  the  mind 
has  a  distinct  view  of  him,)  nor  a  particle  of  love  to 
God  which,  under  the  same  circumstances,)  does  not 
govern  the  soul ;  and  that  where  self-love  predomi- 
nates, (in  a  fair  view  of  all  the  objects  which  solicit 
regard,)  enmity  to  God  must  exist,  must  prevail,  and 
exclude  every  better  affection  towards  him.  No  af- 
fection but  that  of  universal  love  will  truly  fix  on  God ; 
but  how  can  universal  love  exist  in  a  heart  that  would 
sacrifice  the  universe  to  serve  a  private  end  ? 

I  have  one  more  question  on  this  subject.  If  su- 
preme selfishness  is  not  sufficient  to  produce  enmity 
to  God,  pray  what  ever  did  produce  it  in  any  7nind  ? 
What  greater  cause  ever  produced  it  in  wicked  men 
or  devils  ?  Nothing  worse  existed  in  Cain  or  Judas, 
nothing  worse  can  be  found  in  hell. 

IV.  It  follows  from  these  principles  that  all  men, 
by  nature,  are  the  enemies  of  God. 

Independently  of  these  reasonings,  it  might  be 
concluded  that,  if  there  is  any  such  thing  in  the  world 
as  ^^  the  fleshly  mind,"  which  "is  enmity' ^gixiw^i  God," 
it  must  belong  to  every  one  that  is  "  born  of  the  flesh ;" 
for, "  that  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh^''  in  every 
instance :  that  if  there  is  any  such  thing  in  the  world 
as  "the  rm^wra/man,"  who  regards  "the  things  of  the 
Spirit  of  God"  as  "  foolishness,"  it  must  be  every  man 
as  he  is  by  nature.  (John  iii.  6  ;  Rom.  viii.  7 ;  1  Cor. 
ii.  14.)  But  I  have  heard  it  said,  that  though  man- 
kind were  thus  depraved  as  they  stood  connected 
with  the  first  Adam,  they  were  in  some  degree  re- 


104  SUPREME  LOVE 

stored  by  Christ,  and  in  this  restored  state  are  born 
into  the  world.  Now  if  what  has  been  said  under  the 
preceding  heads  is  true,  this  question  is  fairly  laid  to 
rest.  None  are,  in  fact,  raised  above  the  character  of 
enemies  of  God,  but  they  who  are  restored  to  snpreme 
love.  After  all  that  Christ  has  done,  the  world  are 
still  divided  into  two  classes, — they  who  hate  God, 
and  they  who  love  him  supremely.  All  who  are  not 
restored  to  the  temper  of  real  Christians  and  martyrs, 
are  settled  in  enmity  against  him,  without  one  soli- 
tary emotion  of  love.  And  what  were  they  ever  worse 
than  this,  even  in  the  eye  of  the  law  ?  What  w^orse 
character  does  any  evangelical  minister  ascribe  to 
"the  fleshly  mind,"  as  it  now  is,  or  as  it  ever  w^as? 
Until  therefore  you  prove,  in  opposition  to  the  whole 
tenor  of  revelation  and  experience,  that  all  the  world 
are  supremely  attached  to  the  true  God,  you  must 
admit  that  some  are  not  raised  a  whit  above  their 
original  pollution. 

Again,  I  have  heard  it  said  that "  the  natural  man" 
is  a  heathen,  and  that  the  regeneration  which  our  Sa- 
viour pronounced  so  necessary  for  admission  to  his 
kingdom,  is  only  a  turning  from  paganism.  This,  by 
the  way,  would  fairly  exclude  every  heathen  on  earth 
from  salvation,  —  an  inference  not  very  acceptable  to 
the  generality  of  those  who  would  fritter  down  regene- 
ration to  this.  It  may  also  be  a  matter  of  w^onder  to 
some,  that  a  Jewish  ruler  should  have  heard  with  so 
much  astonishment  that  pagans  must  be  converted 
to  the  revealed  faith.  But  let  that  pass.  I  ask  whether 
there  are  none  in  Christian  countries  who  are  under 


OR   ENMITY.  105 

the  supreme  dominion  of  selfishness  ?  none  with 
an  historic  faith,  who  serve  "  the  creature  more  than 
the  Creator  ?  "  none  that  belong  to  the  church,  who 
love  "  the  praise  of  men  more  than  the  praise  of 
God  ? "  none  who  cover  even  with  canonicals  a 
heart  supremely  attached  to  the  world?  If  these 
you  find,  you  find  all  the  attributes  of  the  "  fleshly 
mind"  within  the  pale  of  the  Christian  church. 
Why  then  go  to  pagan  countries  to  seek  "  the  nat- 
ural man  ?"  The  whole  population  of  Christendom 
are  enemies  of  God,  with  the  bare  exception  of  those 
who  love  him  supremely.  And  if  of  all  that  popula- 
tion none  love  him  better  than  life  till  "  the  love  of  God 
is  shed  abroad  in  [their]  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost^^^ 
(Rom.  V.  5,)  then  none  of  the  inhabitants  of  Christen- 
dom, as  they  are  born  into  the  ivorld,  possess  any  other 
temper  than  that  of  God's  enemies. 

Thus  I  have  finished  what  was  proposed.  And 
now  may  we  not  all  find  sufficient  reason  to  lay  our 
hand  on  our  hearts  ?  We  may  often  have  seen  sin 
in  ourselves  without  knowing  it,  and  may  have  pro- 
moted the  deception  by  calling  it  by  another  name, 
and  while  restrained  from  actual  crimes,  we  may 
have  wondered  at  the  strong  charges  of  the  divine 
word  against  us.  But  if  every  undue  bias  in  our  own 
favor  contains  in  itself  the  grand  principle  of  all 
rebellion  againt  God,  we  need  only  watch  our  hearts 
for  a  single  hour  to  find  reason  enough  to  exclaim 
with  distress  and  amazement,  "  The  whole  head  is 
sick  and  the  whole  heart  faint ! "  In  the  strong 
workings  of  this  polluted  principle  we  may  discover 


106  SUPREME  LOVE 

the  deep  and  dreadful  malignity  of  sin ;  and  our 
wonder  that  we  are  thus  charged  will  soon  yield  to 
greater  wonder  that  we  are  out  of  everlasting  despair. 
What  reason  for  humility  and  self-loathing!  —  for 
shame,  and  grief,  and  tears ! 

If  supreme  attachment  to  tJie  creature  is  itself  total 
depravity^  I  tremble  as  I  inquire  how  many  of  my 
hearers  are  still  totally  depraved.  Should  an  angel 
pass  from  seat  to  seat  with  a  commission  to  take  the 
account,  how  many  of  you  would  he  find  supremely 
attached  to  the  world  ?  how  many,  more  anxious  for 
the  success  of  their  commercial  pm'suits  than  for  the 
interests  of  the  church  and  the  glory  of  God  ?  how 
many,  more  enamoured  of  amusements  than  prayer  ? 
how  many,  more  eager  to  exalt  tjiemselves  than  the 
Saviour  of  the  world  ?  Precisely  that  number  he 
would  write  down  totally  depraved^  and  God  would 
approve  the  record. 

My  dear  hearers,  do  you  love  God?  Do  you  love 
the  God  that  made  and  redeemed  you,  —  the  God 
of  infinite  and  eternal  love,  —  the  treasure  and  glory 
of  the  universe  ?  All  heaven  is  full  of  exultation 
and  transport  that  such  a  God  exists,  and  do  you  love 
him  ?  Without  that  love  you  are  wretches  to  eternity 
in  whatever  world  you  dwell.  Without  that  love 
you  are  wretches  on  the  highest  throne  in  glory. 
You  are  pressed  with  infinite  obligations,  and  do  you 
love  that  God  ?  Let  the  question  reach  every  part 
of  the  house  and  ring  through  every  conscience.  Do 
you  love  the  ever-blessed  God?  Love  him!  we 
should  be  monsters  if  we  did  not  love  him.     Amen 


OE   ENMITY.  107 

to  that,  —  but  do  you  really  love  him  ?  Do  you  love 
him  better  than  father  or  mother,  wife  or  children,  houses 
or  lands,  or  life  itself  f  That  we  cannot  say.  Then, 
my  dear  hearers,  you  have  not  a  particle  of  love  to 
God  in  your  hearts.  Nay  more, —  how  shall  I  utter 
the  dreadful  charge  —  You  are  his  enemies  P  Enemies 
of  God  !  In  what  world  am  I  ?  I  see  not  the  chains 
and  bars  around  me  ;  —  am  1  in  the  world  that  was 
once  wet  with  a  Saviour's  blood  ?  ain  I  in  an  assem- 
bly of  people  for  whom  he  died  ?  Enemies  of  God  I 
Whi/,  what  evil  hath  he  done  f  If  you  are  resolved  to 
remain  his  foes  I  will  follow  you  with  this  moving 
entreaty  till  I  die,  Wht/,  what  evil  hath  he  done  ?  Is  it 
for  the  love  that  gave  being  to  numberless  worlds, 
and  feeds  them  all  from  the  stores  of  his  bounty  ?  Is 
it  for  the  love  that  sent  his  only  Son  to  expire  on  a 
cross  ?  Is  it  for  the  compassion  that  cries  after  you 
from  year  to  year  ?  But  I  have  done.  When  it 
shall  be  told  another  day  that  redeemed  sinners  were 
enemies  of  God,  —  I  had  almost  said,  all  heaven 
will  be  in  tears. 


LECTURE  V. 


REGENERATION  NOT  PROGRESSIVE. 
EZEKIEL  xl.  19. 

I  WILL  PUT  A  NEW  SPIRIT  WITHIN  YOU ;  AND  I  WILL  TAKE 
THE  STONY  HEART  OUT  OF  THEIR  FLESH,  AND  WILL  GIVE 
THEM  A  HEART  OF  FLESH. 

There  is  a  phenomenon  in  the  moral  world  for 
which  no  adequate  natural  cause  has  ever  yet  been 
assigned.  I  mean  a  great  and  sudden  change  of 
temper  and  character,  brought  about  under  a  strong 
impression  of  scriptural  truth ;  a  change  in  many- 
cases  from  habitual  vice  and  malignity  to  the  sweet- 
ness and  purity  of  the  Christian  spirit,  and  continuing 
to  manifest  itself  in  a  new  character  through  life, 
accompanied,  if  you  will  believe  the  subjects,  with 
new  views  of  God  and  Christ  and  divine  things  in 
general,  and  with  new  feelings  towards  them.  This 
change  is  discovered  in  people  of  all  temperaments ; 
in  the  phlegmatic  as  well  as  the  ardent,  in  the  slow 
and  cautious  as  well  as  the  impetuous  and  sanguine, 
in  minds  wholly  subject  to  the  understanding  as  well 


REGENERATION  NOT  PROGRESSIVE.  109 

as  those  which  yield  more  to  the  dominion  of  the 
imagination.  It  takes  place  in  people  of  all  ranks 
and  conditions  ;  in  the  wise  and  learned  as  well  as 
the  simple  and  ignorant,  in  persons  insulated  by 
society  of  a  different  cast  and  strongly  prejudiced 
against  the  belief  of  such  a  change.  Thousands 
who  are  not  mad,  but  cool,  dispassionate,  and  wise, 
the  ornaments  of  society  and  of  learning,  whose 
word  would  be  taken  in  any  other  case,  and  who 
certainly  ought  to  be  regarded  as  competent  judges, 
tell  you  that  they  have  had  opportunity  to  see  both 
sides,  as  the  revilers  of  this  doctrine  have  not ;  that 
they  once  looked  upon  the  subject  with  the  eyes  of 
their  opponents,  but  have  since  seen  for  themselves, 
and  do  assuredly  know  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as 
a  spiritual  change  of  heart.  And  what  witnesses 
can  you  oppose  to  these  ?  Men  who  have  nothing 
to  offer  but  negative  testimony,  —  who  can  only  say, 
they  know  of  no  such  thing. 

To  this  interesting  change,  as  the  second  grand 
topic  of  the  course,  I  am  now  to  draw  your  at- 
tention. But  as  the  reasonings  on  this  point  will 
be  founded  on  truths  already  established,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  lay  these  truths  before  you  again  at  one 
view.  It  has  been  proved  that  holiness  radically 
consists  in  universal  love,  which  fixes  the  heart 
supremely  on  God ;  that  sin  has  its  root  in  affections 
limited  to  a  private  circle,  but  chiefly  in  selfishness, 
including,  as  a  main  part,  the  love  of  the  world; 
that  every  man  makes  either  God  or  himself  the 
object  of  his  chief  regard ;  that  supreme  selfishness 
10 


110  REGENERATION 

necessarily  produces  enmity  to  God,  to  the  utter 
exclusion  of  every  better  affection  towards  him; 
that  they  who  do  not  love  God  supremely  are  desti- 
tute of  true  charity  to  man,  and  altogether  without 
holiness ;  that  this  is  the  native  character  of  all 
who  are  born  into  the  world,  whether  in  pagan  or 
Christian  countries. 

Out  of  these  truths  arises  the  necessity  of  that 
moral  change  which  is  denominated  regeneration. 
The  reason  of  this  necessity  is  here  laid  open  to  the 
core,  and  proves  to  be  the  same  that  our  Saviour 
assigned  to  the  wondering  Nicodemus.  He  had 
astonished  that  Jewish  ruler  with  the  solemn  as- 
severation, "  Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  thee,  except  a 
man  be  born  again  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of 
God;"  and  while  the  Jew  stood  doubting  and 
amazed,  he  added,  as  the  sole  ground  of  this  necessity, 
"  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh  ; "  (John  iii. 
3,  6,)  in  other  words,  that  which  is  born  by  natural 
generation  is  "  carnal,"  is  "  enmity  against  God," 
and  must  be  born  again. 

These  truths  disclose  also  the  precise  nature  of  the 
change  which  is  necessary.  It  is  a  transition  from 
supreme  selfishness  to  universal  love,  ^  from  enmity 
against  God  to  supreme  attachment  to  him.  Of 
course,  it  must  be  the  greatest  change  that  ever 
takes  place  in  the  human  affections. 

The  first  question  that  arises  on  the  subject  is. 
Whether  regeneration  is  progressive  or  instantaneous? 
I  shall  attempt  to  prove,  from  the  truths  already 
established  and  from    other  considerations,  that  it 


Not  PROGRESSIVE.  Ill 

must  be  instantaneous.  It  is  not  necessary,  however, 
to  suppose  that  the  precise  time  is  always  knowJi. 
Conceive  of  a  man  sitting  in  a  dungeon,  so  occupied 
in  thought  as  not  to  notice  the  change  which  is 
gradually  produced  by  a  light,  approaching  at  a 
distance.  At  length,  turning  his  eye,  he  discerns 
objects,  and  perceives  that  light  has  been  admitted 
into  the  room;  but  when  it  began  to  enter  he  cannot 
tell.  Still  there  was  a  moment  w-hen  the  first  ray 
passed  the  casement.  So  in  the  present  case,  the 
evidence  of  the  change  may  be  earlier  or  later  in  its 
appearance,  and  more  or  less  rapid  in  its  develop- 
ment, but  the  change  itself  is  always  instantaneous. 
Is  not  such  an  idea  more  than  implied  in  the  text  ? 
What  is  the  blessing  promised?  Not  the  gradual 
improvement  of  an  old  temper,  but  "  a  new  spirit ;" — 
"  the  stony  heart"  npt  softened  hy  degrees  into  flesh, 
but  by  one  decisive  effort  removed  and  a  heart  of 
flesh  substituted  in  its  room. 

You  are  told  by  some  that  no  other  change  is 
necessary  than  what  is  accomplished,  by  reason 
gradually  resuming  its  empire  over  the  appetites  and 
passions.  But  this  theory  entirely  overlooks  the 
enmity  of  heart  that  refuses  to  yield  to  reason.  It 
arrays  its  ethics  against  the  grosser  ebullitions  of 
sin,  but  leaves  the  seat  of  the  disorder  untouched. 
You  are  told  by  others,  that  through  the  influence 
of  instruction,  example,  one's  own  exertions,  and  the 
common  operations  of  the  Spirit,  the  enmity  is 
gradually  weakened  till  it  is  destroyed,  and  the  taste 
of  the  mind,  as  in  many  other  cases,  is  brought  over 


112  -  REGENERATION 

by  degrees  from  aversion  to  love.  But  does  not  this 
and  every  other  theory  which  recognizes  the  principle 
of  progressive  regeneration,  wholly  overlook  the  na- 
ture of  the  disease  and  the  real  ground  of  the  native 
enmity  ?  The  disease  is  supreme  self-love  ;  the 
gi'ound  of  enmity,  that  God  requires,  upon  penalty 
of  eternal  death,  that  universal  love  which  will  fix 
the  heart  supremely  on  himself.  This  enmity  will 
remain  and  exclude  every  particle  of  love  as  long  as 
self-love  is  supreme.  Now  self-love  will  remain  su- 
preme till  the  chief  regard  is  transferred  to  another 
object.  But  in  the  universe  there  is  not  another  ob- 
ject to  receive  it  but  God  himself.  Self-love,  then, 
will  remain  supreme,  and  support  the  enmity  in  all 
its  vigor,  till  God  is  supremely  loved.  As  long  as  the 
sinner  loves  himself  chiefly,  he  is  the  enemy  of  God, 
to  the  utter  exclusion  of  every  better  affection  to- 
wards him ;  the  moment  he  ceases  to  love  himself 
supremely,  his  highest  affection  centres  in  God.  There 
is  no  intermediate  space.  No  time  can  elapse  be- 
tween the  last  moment  in  which  he  loves  himself 
supremely,  and  the  first  moment  in  which  he  does 
not. 

You  talk  of  the  taste's  being  brought  over,  by  a 
gradual  process,  from  enmity  to  love ;  but  can  you 
find  any  step  in  that  process  at  which  the  man  does 
not  either  love  the  ivorld  better  than  God  or  God  bet- 
ter than  the  world  ?  If  he  loves  the  world  better  than 
God,  he  has  made  no  progress  at  all ;  for  "  if  any 
man  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  ?iot  in  him ;" 
and  if  no  love,  there  must  be  enmity :  "  He  that  is  not 


NOT  PROGRESSIVE.  113 

with  me,  is  against  me."  "  The  friendship  of  the  world 
is  enmity  with  God ;  whosoever,  therefore,  will  be  a 
friend  of  the  world  is  the  enemy  of  God."  "  Either 
he  will  hate  the  one  and  love  the  other,  or  else  he  will 
hold  to  the  one  and  despise  the  other."  (Matt.  vi.  24 
and  xii.  30  ;  James  iv.  4  ;  1  John  ii.  15.)  On  the 
other  hand,  if  he  loves  God  better  than  the  world, 
regeneration  is  consummated,  and  there  is  no  room 
for  progress.  Either,  then,  he  has  made  no  advance, 
or  the  work  is  complete.  In  every  step  of  the  sup- 
posed progress,  he  is  either  an  enemy  to  God,  or 
loves  him  supremely. 

Yielding  then  the  point  that  the  man  is  an  enemy 
to  God  till  the  change  is  complete,  it  may  yet  be 
asked,  is  not  that  enmity  gradually  weakened  ?  It 
cannot  be  radically  weakened  till  its  cause  is  weak- 
ened, which  is  supreme  self-love,  (or,  more  generally, 
the  love  of  the  creature;  for  the  social  affections,  too, 
may  set  up  their  objects  in  opposition,)  struggling 
against  the  law  and  administration  of  God.  But 
the  love  of  the  creature  (in  which  self-love  is  included) 
cannot  be  weakened  before  the  love  of  God  is  intro- 
duced. What  is  there  to  weaken  it  ?  If  the  heart  is 
taken  from  the  creature,  it  must  be  set  on  another 
object  or  be  annihilated.  But  there  is  no  other  object 
except  God  himself.  Before  the  love  of  God,  there- 
fore, is  implanted,  there  is  no  way  radically  to  weaken 
the  enmity,  but  to  weaken  all  the  affections  and  re- 
duce the  soul  nearer  to  a  state  of  insensibility.  And 
even  then,  the  love  of  the  creature  (the  sole  cause  of 
the  hostility)  would  exert  as  absolute  a  dominion  as 
10* 


114  REGENERATION 

before,  only  over  a  weaker  subject.  Particular  lusts 
may  be  absorbed  in  others,  but  the  current  of  sin  is 
only  turned  into  new  channels.  The  passions  may  be 
more  or  less  inflamed,  and  thus  the  actings  of  self- 
love  more  or  less  violent.  By  this  means,  one  may 
sin  with  a  stronger  hand  than  another  of  equal  ca- 
pacity. Again,  the  passions  may  be  allayed,  and  less 
guilt  be  incurred  in  an  equal  time ;  but  the  supreme 
love  of  the  creature,  which  is  the  preparation  in  the 
soul  for  the  future  rage  of  all  these  passions,  cannot 
be  abated,  (at  least  its  dominion  cannot  be  reduced,) 
but  by  that  heavenly  charity  which  fixes  the  heart 
supremely  on  God. 

But,  you  ask,  may  not  new  lights  thrown  upon  the 
conscience,  convince  the  mind  of  the  unreasonable- 
ness of  its  opposition,  and  thus  soothe  and  allay  its 
enmity?  I  answer :  by  reasoning,  you  may  compose 
the  passions  of  an  angry  man,  without  at  all  chang- 
ing his  disposition.  After  you  have  succeeded  in 
calming  the  risings  of  enmity  against,  God,  I  ask,  is 
the  dominion  of  the  limited  affections  in  the  least  abated  ? 
This  is  the  decisive  question:  for  supreme  attach- 
ment to  the  creature  comprehends  the  root  and  es- 
sence of  the  whole  disease.  Now  can  you  weaken 
the  love  of  the  creature  by  light  ?  Or,  to  confine  the 
question  to  a  part  of  the  evil,  can  you,  by  light  and 
conscience,  weaken  the  power  of  selfishness  ?  Can 
you  reason  a  man  out  of  his  attachment  to  himself? 
Will  all  the  light  of  the  last  day  abate,  in  the  least, 
the  selfishness  of  the  wicked?  Will  not  light  and 
conscience,  in  their  highest  degrees,  act  together  in 


NOT  PROGRESSIVE.  115 

the  regions  of  despair,  without  producing  any  other 
effect  than  rage  and  gnashing  of  teeth  ?  No,  but  the 
living',  you  say,  possess  hope.  Hope!  and  can  you, 
then,  bribe  a  man  to  be  less  selfish?  What!  bribe  a 
man  to  hate  a  bribe  !  If  enmity  against  God  were  only 
a  prejudice  arising  from  a  misconception  of  his  true 
character,  it  might  indeed  be  removed  by  light.  In 
that  case,  it  would  not  be  a  sin,  but  a  virtue ;  for,  to 
hate  a  false  image  of  God,  in  other  words,  a  false  God, 
is  a  duty.  But  if  the  heart  of  sinners  is  depraved,  if 
they  hate  the  true  character  of  God  in  whatever  form 
it  appears,  they  will  hate  it  the  more,  the  more  it  is 
seen ;  and  light,  so  far  from  abating,  will  only  rouse 
the  enmity  to  stronger  action.  You  may  convince 
them  of  the  justice  of  the  Divine  administration  ; 
(that,  indeed,  will  not  rouse  their  enmity ; )  but,  while 
they  love  their  own  interest  supremely,  what  can 
abate  their  hatred  of  a  law  which  says.  Thou  shalt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  supremely,  or  suffer  eternal 
pain  ?  Can  the  love  of  private  interest  regard  more 
favorably  the  destruction  of  that  interest  because  the 
destruction  is  just?  And  can  self-love  hold  dominion 
and  actually  govern  the  heart,  and  not  control  every 
consideration  suggested  by  conscience  to  oppose  its 
power,  without  continuing  to  array  the  whole  heart 
against  the  absolute  destroyer  of  self-interest'?  In  a 
word,  can  supreme  love  to  one's  own  interest,  radi- 
cally hate  either  more  or  less  than  it  actually  does, 
the  destruction  of  that  interest,  or  any  arrangement 
for  its  destruction,  while  the  capacity  of  the  soul  re- 
mains the  same  ? 


116  REGENERATION 

But,  you  say  again,  may  not  the  divine  Spirit^  be- 
fore the  love  of  God  is  implanted,  bring  the  mind  to 
a  better  frame  by  weakening  its  prejudices  against 
religion  and  exciting  reflections,  desires,  and  resolu- 
tions which  come  nearer  to  a  holy  character  ?  All  that 
the  Spirit  does  before  regeneration,  I  suppose,  is  to 
pour  light  upon  the  mind ;  thus  awakening  remorse 
of  conscience,  alarming  self-love,  and  occasioning  va- 
rious and  strong  actings  of  this  principle.  If  this  is 
all  that  the  Spirit  does  before  regeneration,  the  ques- 
tion has  been  already  answered  in  what  was  said  of 
the  influence  of  light.  But  whatever  the  Spirit  does, 
he  certainly  does  not  perform  impossibilities.  If  in 
the  nature  of  things  nothing  can  weaken  the  enmity 
that  does  not  first  dethrone  the  love  of  the  creature, 
and  if  nothing  can  dethrone  that  despot  but  the  love 
of  God,  then  no  operation  of  the  Spirit  which  does 
not  introduce  the  love  of  God  can  weaken  the  em- 
pire of  depravity.  But  I  have  another  thing  to  say. 
The  feelings  of  the  convicted  are  holy,  or  sinful,  or 
neither.  K  neither,  they  have  no  moral  nature ;  that  is, 
are  deserving  neither  of  praise  or  blame  from  the 
moral  Governor  of  the  world,  and  of  course  have  no- 
thing to  do  with  our  subject.  If  they  are  sinful, 
what  approaches,  I  pray,  can  sin  make  to  holiness  ? 
to  the  Toivest  degree  of  holiness  ?  What  approaches 
can  total  darkness  make  to  the  lowest  degree  of  light  ? 
or  total  deadness,  to  the  lowest  degree  of  life  ?  Will 
you  say,  then,  that  they  are  holi/  7  What,  holy  with- 
out love  to  God !  without  a  particle  of  that  "  love," 
which  "  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law  ?  "  which  includes 


NOT   PROGRESSIVE.  117 

the  whole  that  the  law  requires  !  What  says  the 
apostle  ?  "  Though  I  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men 
and  of  angels,  and  have  not  love,  I  am  become  as 
sounding  brass  or  a  tiyikling  cymhal.  And  though  I 
have  the  gift  of  prophecy,  and  understand  all  mys- 
teries and  all  knowledge,  and  though  I  have  all  faith 
so  that  I  could  remove  mountains  and  have  no  love, 
I  am  NOTHING.  And  though  I  bestow  all  my  goods 
to  feed  the  poor,  and  though  I  give  my  body  to  be 
burned,  and  have  not  love,  it  profiteth  me  nothing." 
(Rom.  xiii.  10;  1  Cor.  xiii.  1  —  3.)  Will  you  say 
then  that  the  convicted  sinner  lias  some  love  to  God, 
though  it  is  not  sup-erne  f  What,  while  the  enmity 
remains  ?  while  the  enmity  prevails  f  for  prevail  it 
must  while  he  loves  himself  supremely,  —  prevail  it 
must,  therefore,  till  his  supreme  affection  is  transfer- 
red to  God.  But  once  for  all  let  an  apostle  decide 
whether  any  love  to  God  can  exist  while  the  heart 
is  supremely  attached  to  another  :  "  If  any  man 
love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him^ 
(1  John  ii.  15.) 

In  every  view  then,  it  appears  that  there  can  be  no 
approaches  towards  regeneration  in  the  antecedent 
temper  of  the  heart.  The  moment  before  the  change 
the  sinner  is  as  far  from  sanctification  as  darkness 
is  from  light,  as  death  is  from  life,  as  sin  is  from 
holiness.  Admitting  that  his  passions  are  somewhat 
allayed,  and  the  actings  of  self-love  not  equally 
violent,  (a  concession  by  no  means  to  be  made, 
—  certainly  not  in  every  case,  considering  the 
strong  light  in  which  he  views  the  objects  of  his 


118  REGENERATION 

aversion  and  dread),  still  the  least  action  of  enmity 
to  God  is  as  far  removed  from  the  lowest  degree 
of  holiness,  as  an  object  which  God  infinitely  liates 
from  an  object  which  he  infinitely  loves  ;  as  far  as  a 
thing  which  deserves  everlasting  shame  and  con- 
tempt, from  a  grace  that  will  receive  endless  and 
inconceivable  rewards.  And  the  two  can  never  be 
brought  nearer  together. 

I  have  now  finished  one  train  of  reasoning  and 
will  enter  on  another.  I  prove  that  regeneration 
is  instantaneous,  from  the  established  truth  that 
mankind  by  nature  are  destitute  of  holiness.  Re- 
generation is  nothing  more  nor  less  than  the  com- 
mencement of  holiness  in  the  soul,  —  the  increase  of 
that  principle  being  not  regeneration  but  sanctifica- 
tion.  If  the  soul  is  wholly  destitute  of  holiness, 
there  must  be  a  moment  when  it  first  receives  that 
principle,  provided  the  principle  itself  is  specifically 
different  from  anything  preexisting  in  the  mind,  and 
is  not  a  compound  gradually  formed  out  of  the  natural 
affections.  Even  in  that  case  there  would  be  a  mo- 
ment when,  by  increase^  or  by  a  perfect  process  of 
combination^  it  would  first  become  entitled  to  the 
name  of  holiness.  But  not  to  insist  on  that,  it  is 
very  apparent  from  what  has  been  said  of  the 
nature  of  holiness,  that  however  multitudinous  it 
may  be  in  its  operations  and  effects,  it  is  not  a 
compound,  but  a  property  no  less  simple  in  its 
essence  than  universal  love ;  and  that  it  is  as 
specifically  different  from  anything  preexisting  in 
the  mind,  as  parental  affection  is  from  humanity,  or 


KOT   PROGRESSIVE.  119 

the  love  of  science  from  the  love  of  food.  A  property 
so  simple  and  distinct  from  all  others,  may  be 
reasoned  upon  with  as  much  precision  as  any  of 
the  elementary  substances  of  the  chemist.  Now,  the 
production  of  a  new  and  simple  property,  like  the 
power  of  attraction  first  communicated  to  a  repellent 
body,  must  be  instantaneous.  The  beginning  of  a 
thing,  one  would  think,  cannot  be  progressive. 

This  idea  may  be  further  illustrated  by  a  recurrence 
to  some  of  the  images  under  which  this  change  is 
represented.  It  is  set  forth  by  the  figure  of  light  struck 
out  in  the  midst  of  total  darkness,  — "  God,  who 
commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath 
shined  in  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ." 
It  is  called  the  opening  of  blind  eyes,  and  the  un- 
stopping of  deaf  ears.  It  is  called  a  resurrection 
from  the  dead  :  "  You  hath  he  quickened  who  were 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins."  It  is  called  a  new 
creation  :  "  If  any  man  be  in  Christ  he  is  a  new 
creature."  "We  are  his  workmanship,  created  in 
Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works."  "  Put  on  the  new 
man,  which  after  God  is  created  in  righteousness  and 
true  holiness."  It  is  called  the  removal  of  a  heart  of 
stone  and  introduction  of  a  heart  of  flesh.  It  is 
called  a  new  birth.  (Ps.  cxlvi.  8  ;  Isai.  xxix.  18  and 
XXXV.  5  and  xlii.  16  — 19  and  xliii.  8;  Ezek.  xi.  19; 
Luke  iv.  18 ;  John  iii.  3 ;  2  Cor.  iv.  6  and  v.  17 ; 
Eph.  ii.  1,  10  and  iv.  24 ;  2  Pet.  i.  9  ;  Rev.  iii.  17.) 
Now  all  these  figures  import  an  instantaneous  change. 
There  is  a  moment  when  the  first  ray  of  light  enteric 


120  REGENERATION 

a  region  of  total  darkness.  There  is  a  moment  when 
the  blind  man  begins  to  see.  There  is  a  moment 
when  the  deaf  man  hears  the  first  sound.  There 
is  a  moment  when  life  begins  to  animate  a  dead 
body.  The  creation  of  a  simple  substance  must  be 
instantaneous.  The  formation  of  the  various  objects 
that  were  to  compose  a  worlds  admitted  of  successive 
acts ;  and  to  this  is  analogous  the  new.  creation  of 
the  whole  body  of  the  elect  in  successive  generations  : 
but  when  a  simple  substance  was  to  be  produced, 
"  God  said,  Let  there  be  light,  and  there  was  light." 
(Gen.  i.  3.)  The  removal  of  a  heart  of  stone  and 
substitution  of  a  heart  of  flesh  must  likewise  be 
instantaneous ;  or,  according  to  the  figure,  there  is  a 
time  when  either  there  are  two  hearts  or  no  heart  at 
all.  And  in  regard  to  a  birth,  there  is  a  moment  in 
every  case  in  which  it  may  be  first  said,  a  child  is 
born  into  the  world. 

Regeneration  has  sometimes  been  compared  to  the 
struggle  of  light  with  darkness  and  the  gradual  preva- 
lence of  the  former  at  the  daivn  of  day.  But  what 
do  they  mean  by  light  ?  If  they  mean  holiness^  they 
assume  what  has  been  proved  to  be  false,  that  there 
is  holiness  in  the  heart  before  the  completion  of  re- 
generation. Show  me  a  man  in  whom  holiness  and 
sin  are  struggling  for  dominion,  and  I  wUl  show  you 
one  who  is  already  born  again.  But  if  they  mean 
anything  besides  holiness^  anything  besides  the  identical 
'principle  whose  prevalence  is  to  constitute  the  change,  the 
change  itself  bears  no  resemblance  to  the  progress 
of  the  morning,  —  the  progress  of  the  same  light 


KOT  PROGRESSIVE.  121 

that  makes  the  day.  It  might  more  fitly  be  compared 
to  the  first  ray  that  strikes  the  eastern  horizon,  or 
rather  to  the  first  ray  that  enters  a  region  of  total 
darkness.  And  between  the  last  moment  of  total 
darkness  and  the  first  moment  of  commencing  light, 
no  time  can  elapse.  But  if  by  light,  in  this  com- 
parison, is  meant  speculative  knowledge,  —  and  this 
was  even  allowed  to  be  the  cause  of  regeneration, 
still,  the  change  could  not  be  progressive  if  anything 
more  than  ignorance  —  if  moral  depravity  is  to  be 
removed.  No  matter  by  what  means  the  change  is 
accomplished,  if  it  is  a  transition  from  supreme  self- 
ishness to  the  supreme  love  of  God,  it  must  be 
instantaneous  according  to  the  reasonings  aheady 
had. 

It  affords  much  support  to  these  reasonings  that 
the  Scriptures  divide  the  whole  human  race  into  two 
classes,  —  saints  and  sinners,  the  good  and  the  bad,  be- 
lievers and  unbelievers,  natural  men  and  spiritual 
men,  those  who  are  in  Christ  and  those  who  are  out, 
they  who  are  still  under  condemnation  and  they  who 
are  justified,  the  heirs  of  heaven  and  the  heirs  of 
hell.  There  is  not  a  third  class.  "  He  that  is  not 
with  me  is  against  me."  (Mat.  xii.  30.)  It  follows 
that  every  man,  at  every  moment  of  his  life,  belongs 
to  one  or  the  other  of  these  two  classes.  Then  he 
belongs  to  one  till  the  moment  he  enters  the  other. 
Were  it  otherwise  there  would  be  a  time  in  which 
he  is  neither  good  nor  bad,  neither  in  Christ  nor  out, 
neither  condemned  nor  justified,  neither  an  heir  of 
heaven  nor  an  heir  of  hell.  What  is  he  then  ?  To 
11 


122  EEGENERATION 

whom  does  he  belong?     Whither  would  he  go  should 
he  die  ?     Is  there  a  purgatory  ? 

I  might  add  to  these  reasonings  that  regeneration 
is  represented  to  be  a  great  exhibition  of  poiver^  as 
great  as  the  resurrection  of  Christ :  "  The  eyes  of 
your  understanding  being  enlightened,  that  ye  may 
know  —  what  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his 
power  to  US-ward  who  believe^  according  to  the 
working  of  his  mighty  power  which  he  wrought  in 
Christ  when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead  and  set 
him  at  his  own  right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places." 
(Eph.  i.  18 — 20.)  This  certainly  favors  the  idea  at 
least  of  a  sudden  change.  Divine  power  is  doubtless 
as  much  exerted  in  the  gi'adual  motion  of  the 
heavenly  bodies,  and  in  the  slow  process  of  vegeta- 
tion, as  it  was  in  stopping  the  sun  over  Gibeon ;  but 
when  men  are  summoned  to  witness  a  great  exhibi- 
tion of  power,  they  naturally  look  for  a  sudden  effect, 
as  the  burst  of  a  volcano  or  the  sweep  of  a  whirl- 
wind. But  if  instead  of  one  grand  eflbrt  regenera- 
tion is  brought  about  by  a  lingering  influence,  es- 
pecially if  it  is  produced  by  the  slow  operation  of 
reason  and  knowledge^  it  is  no  more  an  exhibition  of 
power  than  the  growth  of  a  plant  or  the  alteration 
of  any  of  our  tastes. 

But  after  all,  the  question  chiefly  turns  on  these 
two  points,  —  the  supreme  selfishness  or  total  de- 
pravity of  the  human  heart,  and  the  nature  of  holi- 
ness. No  one  who  admits  this  view  of  the  native 
character,  and  believes  that  holiness  is  a  simple  prin- 
ciple, not  a  compound  formed  out  of   preexisting 


NOT   PROGRESSIVE.  123 

properties,  can  doubt  that  there  is  a  moment  when 
it  is  first  introduced.  What  is  the  character  of  the 
natural  heart?  and  ivhat  is  holiness?  are  the  two 
questions  which  on  this  subject  must  divide  the 
world.  For  if  holiness  is  a  simple  principle,  and 
first  introduced  in  regeneration,  especially  if  it  is  a 
principle  of  supreme  love  to  God,  following  supreme 
selfishness,  nothing  can  be  plainer  than  that  the 
change  is  as  sudden  as  the  entrance  of  the  first  drop 
that  falls  into  a  vessel  or  the  first  ray  that  penetrates 
a  dungeon. 

This  doctrine  however  does  not  militate  against 
the.  idea  of  an  antecedent  preparation  in  the  con- 
science, wrought  by  the  means  of  grace  and  the 
enlightening  influences  of  the  Spirit.  But  on  this 
subject  I  shall  have  occasion  to  treat  in  a  future 
lecture.  At  present  I  shall  content  myself  with  two 
inferences  from  the  doctrine  already  established. 

1.  It  inevitably  follows  from  the  foregoing  exposi- 
tion, that  none  of  the  feelings  or  actions  or  duties, 
(as  they  are  called,)  of  the  unregenerate,  so  far  as 
they  partake  of  a  moral  nature,  that  is,  so  far  as  they 
are  entitled  to  praise  or  blame  from  the  moral 
Governor  of  the  world,  are  otherwise  than  sinful. 
They  are  sinful,  or  holy,  or  neither.  If  neither,  they 
receive  no  praise  or  blame  from  the  moral  Governor. 
For  whatever  may  be  said  of  God  in  the  character 
of  temporal  head  of  the  Jewish  nation,  or  as  accom- 
modating in  these  days  his  visible  dispensations  to 
visible  characters,  yet  as  moral  Governor  he  praises 
nothing  but  holiness,  or  real  conformity  to  his  law^ 


124  REGENERATION 

and  blames  nothing  but  sin,  which  "  is  the  trans- 
gression of  the  law."  For  to  govern  according  to 
LAW  enters  into  all  our  ideas  of  a  righteous  governor. 
That  some  of  the  feelings  and  actions  of  the  unre- 
generate  are  of  a  neutral  character  is  not  denied,  but 
these  are  to  be  set  aside  as  of  no  account.  The  rest 
are  either  sinful  or  holy.  But  they  are  not  holy,  for 
the  beginning  of  holiness  is  regeneration, —  they  must 
of  course  be  sinful. 

It  is  a  credit  not  denied  to  the  unregenerate  that 
the  form  of  their  actions  is  often  right ;  and  if  the 
form  hy  itself  can  be  supposed  to  be  respected  in 
the  divine  law,  it  is,  as  far  as  it  goes,  real  obedience. 
But  is  the  form  so  divided  by  the  divine  law  from 
the  disposition,  that  standing  alone  it  constitutes 
any  part  of  obedience?  If  so,  the  form  without 
the  disposition  must  constitute  some  part  of  trans- 
gression :  and  then,  in  the  eye  of  the  divine  law^, 
a  man  in  part  commits  murder  w^io  kills  his  neigh- 
bor by  accident,  or  in  a  paroxysm  of  madness. 
The  truth  is,  that  no  action  is  rewarded  or  pun- 
ished by  God  or  man,  (unless  by  God  accommo- 
dating his  visible  dispensations  to  the  apprehensions 
of  mankind,)  otherwise  than  as  it  is  known  or  sup- 
posed to  be  the  index  of  the  heart.  Separate  from 
murder  all  ideas  of  malicious  intent,  and  it  is  no 
longer  murder  in  the  eyes  of  God  or  man.  Separate 
from  prayer  all  ideas  of  pious  feeling,  and  in  the 
eyes  of  God  and  man  it  is  no  longer  prayer.  No 
law  human  or  divine  ever  thought  of  forbidding  a 
mad  man  to  kill  his  neighbor ;  (no  matter  for  wiiat 


NOT   PROGRESSIVE.  125 

reason.)  No  law  human  or  divine  ever  thought  of 
requiring  a  mad  man  to  perform  deeds  of  charity. 
It  is  then  difact  that  no  law  ever  forbade  or  required 
an  external  action  hut  as  an  expression  of  7nind, 
of  choice,  of  disposition.  The  external  action,  in  its 
naked  form,  separate  from  the  choice  and  disposition, 
is  not  required,  and  the  action  thus  alone  is  no  part 
of  obedience,  no  part  of  holiness.  But  if  anijthing 
in  the  mind  is  necessary  to  impart  a  holy  character 
to  an  action,  it  must  be  holiness  in  the  mind.  For 
certainly  nothing  but  the  thing  itself  can  instamp  its 
own  character.  Where  therefore  there  is  no  holiness 
in  the  heart,  there  can  be,  in  the  view  of  Him  who 
tries  the  reins,  no  holy  action. 

But  while  I  neglect  to  ascribe  holiness,  I  do  not 
mean  to  impute  sin,  to  the  bare  form  of  actions.  In 
strictness  of  speech,  the  form  distinct  from  the  mind 
no  more  partakes  of  a  moral  nature  than  the  motions 
of  a  clock.  All  that  I  affirm  of  the  sinfulness  of  the 
actions  of  the  unregenerate  is,  that  so  far  as  those 
actions,  considered  in  both  the  outward  and  inward 
part,  partake  of  a  moral  nature,  they  are  sinful,  and 
that  whether  the  external  form  is  right  or  wrong.  In 
strictness  of  speech  the  sin  lies  not  in  the  outward 
form,  even  when  that  form  is  wa'ong ;  certainly  not 
when  it  is  right.  Yet  in  the  popular  language  of 
Scripture,  as  in  the  common  language  of  mankind, 
the  form  and  disposition  are  both  comprehended  in 
the  action.  Now  what  I  assert  is,  that  the  action, 
thus  complexly  considered,  takes  its  moral  character 
not  from  the  form,  but  from  the  disposition  ;  and 
11* 


126  REGENERATION 

where  the  disposition  is  WTong,  the  general  action  is 
pronounced  sinful.  "  The  Lord  seeth  not  as  man 
seeth ;  for  man  looketh  on  the  outward  appearance, 
but  the  Lord  looketh  on  the  heart."  He  affection- 
ately approves  of  the  widow's  mite,  while  he  rejects 
the  man  who,  without  evangelical  love,  bestows  all 
his  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and  then,  with  a  martyr's 
zeal,  gives  his  body  to  be  burned.  He  accepts 
"  the  willing  mind"  even  where  no  action  follows, 
while  he  pronounces  the  very  "  sacrifice  of  the  wick- 
ed —  an  abomination."  While  "  a  cup  of  cold 
water,"  administered  in  love,  is  rewarded  with 
eternal  life,  "  he  that  turneth  away  his  ear  from 
hearing  the  law,  even  his  prayer  [is]  abomination ;" 
and  that  not  merely  when  he  intends  to  mock  :  "  The 
sacrifice  of  the  wicked"  is  abomination  ;  hoiv  much 
more  when  he  hringeth  it  with  a  tvicked  mind.''''  Nor 
let  it  be  supposed  that  his  sacrifices  are  singled  out 
to  bear  this  reproach.  "  The  plowing  of  the  wicked 
is  sin."  His  commonest  actions  are  an  offence  to 
God,  because  they  proceed  from  a  heart  "  deceitful 
above  all  things  and  desperately  wicked."  You 
must  cleanse  the  fountain  before  the  streams  can  be 
sweet ;  you  must  heal  the  tree  before  the  fruit  can 
be  pleasant.  "  Make  the  tree  good  and  his  fruit 
good."  "  Cleanse  first  that  which  is  within  the  cup 
and  platter,  that  the  outside  of  them  may  be  clean 
also."  Hence  those  maxims  inscribed  on  the  tablet 
of  everlasting  truth,  "  They  that  are  in  the  fleshy  [in 
their  natural  state,]  cannot  please  God ;"  and  "  With- 
out faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  him."     Without 


KOT  PROGRESSIVE.  127 

that  "faith"  which  "is  the  gift  of  God,"  — that  be- 
lief that  "Jesus  is  the  Christ,"  which  bespeaks  one 
"born  of  God," — no  action,  no  prayer  is  accepted. 
"  If  any  of  you  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God;  — 
but  let  him  ask  in  faith,  nothing  wavering;  for  he  that 
wavereth  is  like  a  wave  of  the  sea  : — for  let  not  that 
man  think  that  he  shall  receive  anything  of  the  Lorcl^ 
"  Ye  ask  and  receive  not,  because  ye  ask  amiss,"  is 
the  common  reproof  administered  to  all  who  are  su- 
premely attached  to  the  present  world.  "  We  know 
that  God  heareth  not  sinners,"  was  a  profession  of 
knowledge  made  even  by  the  Jews.  (1  Sam.  xvi.  7  ; 
Prov.  XV.  8  and  xxi.  4,  27  and  xxviii.  9  ;  Jer.  xvii.  9 ; 
Matt.  X.  42  and  xii.  33  and  xxiii.  26  ;  Mark  xii.  42  — 
44  ;  John  ix.  31;  Rom.  viii.  8  ;  1  Cor.  xiii.  1 — 3 ; 
2  Cor.  viii.  12  ;  Eph.  ii.  8  ;  Heb.  xi.  6  ;  James  i.  5 — 7 
and  iv.  3 ;    1  John  v.  1.) 

The  case  is  not  altered  by  any  convictions  which 
may  be  excited  by  the  Spirit,  by  any  anxieties  of  the 
sinner,  by  any  of  his  attentions  to  the  means  of  grace. 
If  regeneration  is  the  commence7nent  of  holiness,  all 
the  feelings  and  actions  to  that  moment,  so  far  as 
they  partake  of  a  moral  nature,  must  be  sinful.  So 
far  as  the  moral  Governor  is  at  all  affected,  he  is  only 
disgusted  and  offended  till  the  very  moment  of  the 
change. 

2.  It  follows  from  this  view  that  the  unregenerate, 
even  under  their  highest  convictions,  and  however 
near  they  may  have  approached  to  the  time  of  their 
conversion,  still  lie  at  the  imcovenanted  mercy  of  God. 
By  this  I  do  not  mean  that  no  promises  are  held  out 


128  REGENERATION 

to  them  on  co7iditlon  of  theii-  return ;  I  only  mean  that 
nothing  which  they  now  do,  has  the  promise  of  any 
reward  or  notice  from  God.  The  moral  Governor  of  the 
world  cannot  pledge  himself  to  reward  sinful  actions, 
nor  actions  barely  neutral.  A  temporal  king  may  con- 
sistently engage  to  recompense  actions  which  have 
only  a  fan*  exterior;  but  for  God  to  do  this,  would  be 
to  relinquish  his  right  to  search  the  heart.  While  act- 
ing as  temporal  head  of  the  Jewish  nation,  (an  office, 
however,  which  he  never  for  a  moment  stood  bound 
by  promise  to  discharge,  but  occasionally  assumed 
in  sovereign  condescension  to  the  weaknesses  of  the 
people,)  he  visibly  rewarded  actions  which  were  good 
only  in  the  sight  of  men ;  (and  to  present  to  the  eye  a 
continued  picture  of  himself  in  his  providence,  he  does 
the  same  now;)  but  he  i\e\ei promisecUhdit  nation  a 
sheaf  of  barley  nor  a  hin  of  oil,  but  on  condition  of 
sincere  and  holy  obedience.  The  following  passage 
reveals  the  sole  condition,  (unless  you  profanely  sup- 
pose tioo  conditions,  like  the  tivo  prices  of  the  petty 
merchant,)  on  which  all  temporal  blessings  were 
promised  that  people:  "And  it  shall  come  to  pass, if 
you  shall  hearken  diligently  unto  my  commandments 
which  I  command  you  this  day,  to  love  the  lord 
YOUR  GOD,  and  to  serve  him  with  all  your  heart 
AND  WITH  ALL  YOUR  SOUL,  that  I  will  givc  you  the 
rain  of  your  land  in  his  due  season,  the  first  rain  and 
the  latter  rain,  that  thou  mayest  gather  in  thy  corn 
and  thy  wine  and  thine  oil."  (Deut.  xi.  13 — 15.)  In- 
deed, the  duty  of  love  to  God  and  man  made  so  con- 
epicuous  a  figure  in  the  ^Mosaic  code,  (Deut.  vi.  5,  6 


NOT    PROGRESSIVE.  129 

and  vii.  9  and  x.  16, 19  and  xi.  1, 13,  22  and  xiii.  3  and 
xLx.  9  and  xxx.  2, 6, 16,20 ;  Josh.  xxii.  5  and  xxiii.  11;) 
that  this  condition  was  necessarily  implied  in  all  the 
promises  suspended  on  general  obedience.  (Deut.  vi. 
and  xi.  and  xxviii.  and  xxx.)  The  sum  of  that  code 
was  this  :  "  And  now,  Israel,  ivhat  doth  the  Lord  thy 
God  require  of  thee^  but  to  fear  the  Lord  thy  God,  to 
walk  in  all  his  ways,  and  to  love  hun,  and  to  serve  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart  and  with  all  thy  soul^ 
"Thou  shalt  not  hate  thy  brother  in  thine  heart, — 
but  thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself."  (Lev. 
xix.  17,  18  ;   Deut.  x.  12.) 

There  is  another  insuperable  difficulty  in  the  way 
of  extending  the  promises  to  the  unregenerate :  they 
are  not  united  to  Christ.  The  great  bond  of  union, 
i^  faith;  but  "whosoever  believeth  —  is  born  of  God.^"* 
"  If  any  man  be  in  Christ.,  he  is  a  new  creatureP  Now 
it  is  obvious  that  none  can  partake  of  the  promises, 
but  they  who  are  united  to  Christ ;  for,  like  the  oil 
on  Aaron's  head  that  descended  to  the  skirts  of  his 
garments,  the  promises  are  all  poured  upon  Christ, 
and  descend  to  his  members  only.  "  To  Abraham 
and  his  seed  were  the  promises  made;  He  saith  not, 
and  to  seeds.,  as  of  many,  but  as  of  one,  and  to  thy 
seed.,  ivhich  is  Christ  f^  "that  the  blessing  of  Abraham 
might  come  on  the  Gentiles  through  Jesus  Christ., 
that  we  might  receive  the  promise  of  the  ^Y^xiithrovgh 
faith ;"  "  that  the  Gentiles  should  be  —  partakers  of  his 
'promise  in  Christ^  "  All  the  promises  of  God  in  him 
are  yea  and  in  him  amen," — even  in  him  who  was 
given  "  for  a  covenant  of  the  people."    "  The  Scripture 


130  REGENERATION 

hath  concluded  all  under  sin,  that  the  promise  by  faith 
of  Jesus  Christ  might  be  given  to  them  that  believeJ^ 
(Isa.  xlii.  6 ;  2  Cor.  i.  20  and  v.  17 ;  Gal.  iii.  14, 16, 
22  ;  Eph.  iii.  6  ;  1  John  v.  1.)  How,  "then,  can  any 
promise  reach  those  who  are  out  of  Christ?  The 
promise  chiefly  contended  for,  is  one  that  is  supposed 
to  insure  to  the  unregenerate  an  answer  to  their 
prayers.  But  if  such  prayers  are  answered,  it  must  be 
luithoiit  the  influence  of  Christ ;  of  course,  they  might 
have  been  answered  if  Christ  had  never  died.  Why, 
then,  did  he  die  ?  *    If  one  prayer  of  a  sinner  could  as- 

*  But  the  unregenerate,  it  may  be  said,  do  receive  numberless 
blessings  on  ClirisCs  account,  that  is,  in  consequei»ce  of  bis  having 
undertaken  the  work  of  redemption.  Every  favor  which  raises  them 
above  the  condition  of  the  damned,  comes  to  them  in  this  way. 
Granted.  But  there  is  a  material  difference  between  blessings  be- 
stowed in  sovereign  mercy,  (that  is,  without  any  covenant  obliga- 
tions,) merely  to  put  them  in  possession  of  the  full  advantages  of 
probation,  and  containing  no  expressions  o^  approbation,  but  only 
of  patience,  and  blessings  conferred  as  a  reward,  a  pj'omised  re- 
ward, and  expressive  of  the  approhatio)i  of  God.  Though  in  sove- 
reign mercy  God  may  deal  more  favorably  with  sinners  than  if  no 
chance  existed  for  their  salvation,  he  cannot  approve  of  an  unholy 
work  even  for  Christ's  sake,  and  cannot,  in  his  secret  transactions 
with  the  soul,  express  that  approbation  by  a  reward.  For  Christ's 
sake  he  may  accept  a  liohj  action,  which  otherwise  could  not  be 
accepted  from  a  sinner,  that  is,  could  not  be  rewarded  with  any 
token  of  favor  ;  but  to  accept  unJioliness  on  Christ's  account,  /.<  no 
part  of  the  Gospel  plan.  It  is  no  part  of  that  plan  to  accept  an 
act  of  a  sinner  on  Christ's  account  without  his  own  consent  that 
Christ  should  be  the  ground  of  acceptance,  in  other  words,  without 
his  own  faith.    If  then  the  prayers  of  those  who  are  not  united  to 


NOT  proghessiye.  131 

cend  to  God  without  going  through  Christ, «  wliole  soul 
might ;  and  if  one  soul  might,  a  ivhole  icorld  might.  If 
in  one  act  a  sinner  is  accepted  without  a  Saviour,  he 
may  be  so  accepted  in  his  general  character ;  and  if 
07ie  may,  a  ivliole  world  may.  "Why,  then,  was  a  Sa- 
viour provided  ?  But  far  be  such  a  thought  from  us. 
Infinite  purity  cannot  commune  with  pollution,  in  a 
single  instance,  nor  look  upon  a  sinner,  but  through 
a  Mediator.  What !  mean  you  to  contend  for  the  priv- 
ilege of  going  to  God  without  a  Mediator  ?  for  the 
privilege  of  rushing  into  a  consuming  fire  ?  for  the 
privilege  of  being  pagans  ?  Presume  that  a  prayer 
may  reach  the  mercy-seat  without  going  through 
Christ!  —  if  this  is  not  self-righteovsness,  expunge  the 
word  from  the  language.  Further,  a  promise  implies 
a  reivard.  Now  if  the  unregenerate  are  rewarded,  they 
are  revmrded  before  they  are  pardoned.  They  receive 
tokens  of  favor  while  they  remain  objects  of  wrath. 
And  for  what  are  they  rewarded  ?  Not  for  the  mer- 
its of  Christ,  (for  they  have  no  part  in  him,)  but  for 
their  own  works,  —  works  too  which,  if  not  indifferent, 
are  positively  sinful.  This  is  "  confusion  worse  con- 
founded." But  charge  not  this  confusion  upon  the 
Bible.  From  Genesis  to  Revelation,  not  a  promise 
of  such  a  nature  is  found.  "Ask  and  ye  shall  receive," 
is  indeed  said  to  all ;  but  when  you  would  know  the 
meaning  of  that  condition,  the  answer  is,  "ask  in 

Christ  by  faith  are  approved,  accepted,  anstcered,  reicarded,  (for 
11  these  terms  are  applicable  if  one  is,)  it  is  not  done  on  Christ's 
'recount.  If  such  prayers  reach  the  throne  of  God,  they  do  not 
iscend  through  a  Alediator. 


132  REGENERATION   NOT   PROGRESSIVE. 

FAITH,  NOTHING  AVAVERiNG."  It  is  Said,  indeed,  that 
"the  kingdom  of  heaven  suffereth  violence,  and  the 
violent  take  it  by  force ;"  but  if  you  have  yet  to  learn 
what  sort  of  violence  is  meant,  even  an  Old- Testa- 
ment saint  can  tell  you :  "  My  son,  if  thou  wilt  re- 
ceive my  words  and  hide  my  commandments  with 
thee,  so  that  thou  incline  thine  ear  unto  wisdom  and 
apply  thine  heart  to  understanding;  yea,  if  thou  criest 
after  knowledge.,  and  liftest  up  thy  voice  for  under  stand- 
ins:. —  if  thou  seekest  her  as  silver,  and  searchest  for 
her  as  for  hid  treasures  ;  then  shalt  thou  understand 
the  fear  of  the  Lord  and  find  the  knowledge  of  God."  In 
short,  all  the  promises  addressed  to  the  unregenerate, 
are  summed  up  in  either  of  the  following  texts :  "  Ye 
shall  seek  me  and  find  me  ivhen  ye  shall  search  for 
me  WITH  ALL  YOUR  HEART."  "  If  —  tliou  shalt  seek  the 
Lord  thy  God,  thou  shalt  find  him  if  thou  seek  him 

WITH  ALL  THY  HEART  AND  WITH  ALL  THY  SOUL." 

(Deut.  iv.  29  ;  Prov.  ii.  1—5  ;  Jer.  xxix.  13  ;  Matt. 
xi.  12  ;   John  xvi.  24  ;   James  i.  6.) 


LECTURE    VI. 


REGENERATION   SUPERNATURAL. 
PSALM  ex.  3. 

THT  PEOPLE  SHALL  BE  WILLING  IN  THE  DAT  OF  THY  POWER. 

This  promise  to  Christ  respecting  his  future  king- 
dom, is  very  emphatic.  It  can  scarcely  be  tortured 
into  any  other  meaning  than  that  his  power  should 
be  effectually  exerted  to  render  his  people  willing  to 
submit  to  his  empire ;  not  indirectly,  by  presenting 
to  their  view  his  miracles  and  the  destruction  of  his 
enemies,  and  leaving  the  event  to  the  casual  opera- 
tion of  their  self-determining  power,  but  by  a  conquest 
of  their  wills  or  hearts  through  the  efficacious  influ- 
ence of  his  Spu'it. 

In  the  last  lecture  it  was  proved  that  regeneration 
is  an  instantaneous  change,  from  exclusive  attach- 
ment to  the  creature,  from  supreme  selfishness,  from 
enmity  against  God,  to  universal  love  which  fixes  the 
heart  supremely  on  him ;  that  there  is  no  previous 
abatement  of  the  enmity  or  approximation  towards  a 
12 


134  REGENERATION 

right  temper,  the  heart  being  at  one  moment  in  full 
possession  of  its  native  selfishness  and  opposition,  at 
the  next  moment  in  possession  of  a  principle  of  su- 
preme love  to  God,  —  acquiring  thus,  in  an  instant, 
a  temper  which  it  never  possessed  before.  Here  is  a 
phenomenon  wholly  unlike  any  other  revolution  in 
the  moral  or  social  world.  How  is  it  to  be  accounted 
for  ?  Is  it  produced  by  the  self-determining  power  of 
the  human  will,  or  by  the  power  of  God?  If  by  God, 
is  it  brought  about  according  to  the  stated  operations 
of  nature,  or  in  a  supernatural  way  ?  If  in  a  super- 
natural way,  is  it  done  on  account  of  anything  pre- 
viously performed  by  the  sinner,  or  in  any  sense  by 
his  cooperation  ?  These  three  questions  will  form 
the  plan  of  the  present  lecture. 

I.  Is  this  change  produced  by  the  self-determining 
power  of  the  human  will,  or  by  the  power  of  God  ?  Not 
by  the  self-determining  power  of  the  will  or  heart, 
{both  are  included  in  the  term,  as  here  used,)  for  the 
very  last  act  of  the  will  or  heart,  before  the  change,  was 
entirely  hostile  to  God,  and  the  first  right  act  evinces 
the  change  to  be  passed.  The  will  was  an  enemy  in  the 
last  act  before  the  act  of  love.  Does,  then,  the  foe  in- 
stantly create  the  friend?  Does  an  effort  of  enmity 
instantly  produce  love  ?  Whenever  did  darkness 
create  light ;  or  death,  life  ?  Is  it  credible  that  the 
will,  while  fully  opposed  to  God,  should  contrive 
and  accomplish  so  holy  and  so  vast  a  change  in  a 
moment  ?  None  will  pretend  it.  No  man  in  his 
senses  ever  pleaded  for  the  self-determining  power, 
who  allowed  the  change  to  be  so  sudden  and  so 


SUPERNATURAL.  135 

great.*  But,  I  ask  again,  what  could  possibly  have 
induced  the  will,  all  at  once,  to  make  so  great  and 
new  an  effort?  Motives?  But  the  same  motives  had 
been  resisted  for  years,  and  were  firmly  resisted  in  the 
very  last  act  before  the  change.  Now  that  the  will 
should  steadily  resist  all  motives  from  the  beginning, 
and  all  at  once  yield  in  an  instant,  without  any  new 
inducement,  without  any  previous  consent  of  its  own; 
— that  love  should  start  up  out  of  enmity  in  a  mo- 
ment, uncaused  but  by  itself,  is  altogether  incredible, 
and  never  was  and  never  will  be  believed  by  any  ra- 
tional mind.  The  moment  regeneration  is  proved  to 
be  an  instantaneous  change  from  unabated  enmity  to 
supreme  love,  the  argument  for  the  self-determining 
power  is  forever  ruined. 

Nor  will  any  relief  be  found  by  seeking  an  ally  for 
the  will  in  the  understanding.  Universal  experience 
proves  that  the  understanding  cannot  control,  much 
less  create,  the  affections.  If  it  could,  every  man 
would  be  sure  to  do  as  well  as  he  knows  how.  If  it 
could,  the  enmity  of  the  natural  heart  would  be 
chargeable  only  to  ignorance ;  and  then  the  enmity 
would  not  be  directed  against  the  true  God,  but 
against  ^  false  inrngeof  God  which  it  is  every  man's 
duty  to  hate.  These  faculties  of  the  mind  have,  in- 
deed, some  control  over  each  other,  but  by  no  means 

*  The  author  tclleves  that  no  act  of  the  will,  whether  hostile 
or  not,  produces  a  subsequent  act ;  but  to  adapt  his  argument  to 
those  of  a  different  opinion,  he  urges  the  hostile  state  of  the  will 
just  before  regeneration ;  for,  if  it  act  at  all  in  a  causal  way,  it  is 
rational  to  suppose  that  it  will  act  according  to  its  present  temper. 


136  REGENERATION 

enough  to  support  such  an  hypothesis.  Their  empires 
are  very  distinct,  and  divide  a  man,  as  it  were,  against 
himself.  In  its  turn,  the  understanding  will  not  sub- 
mit to  the  heart.  Who  ever  set  himself  down  to  any 
mental  effort,  for  instance  to  write  a  composition, 
without  feeling  the  uncertainty  whether  his  intellect 
would  obey  his  wishes  ?  The  will  has  to  stand  and 
solicit,  and  is  often  held  in  suspense  whether  its  suit 
will  be  favored  or  denied.  Could  the  heart  control  the 
understanding,  who  would  not  at  once  make  himself 
a  Newton  ?  And  it  is  only  an  equal  law  of  nature, 
that  the  understanding  should  not  control  the  heart. 
If  it  could,  who  would  not  speedily  rid  himself  of 
many  uncomfortable  passions  ?  If  it  could,  which 
of  you  would  not  become  a  Christian  at  once  ? 

The  theory  of  the  self-determining  power  being  thus 
set  aside,  those  systems  which  have  been  built  upon  it 
sink  of  course.  These  systems  may  all  be  reduced  to 
three:  the  Pelagian,  Arminian,  and  Semi-Arminian. 
I  will  spend  a  moment  in  spreading  these  out  by  the 
side  of  the  Calvinistic  doctrine,  that  you  may  dis- 
tinctly see  in  what  points  they  differ. 

The  Pelagian  theory  is,  that  God  does  no  more  than 
present  motives  to  the  mind  by  th«  external  hght  of 
truth:  to  these  the  will,  in  the  exercise  of  its  self- 
determining  power,  yields  or  refuses  to  yield;  and 
the  good  man,  alone,  makes  himself  to  differ  from  oth- 
ers who  possess  equal  means  of  information.  This 
system  wholly  sets  aside  the  influences  of  the  divine 
Spirit, 

The  Arminian  theory  is  precisely  the  same,  only  it 


SUPERNATURAL.  137 

acknowledges  the  enlightening'  influence  of  the  Spirit 
as  an  auxiliary  in  setting  motives  before  the  mind. 
To  these  motives  the  will,  in  the  exercise  of  its  self- 
determining  power,  yields  or  refuses  to  yield ;  and 
the  good  man,  alone,  makes  himself  to  differ  from 
others  who  enjoy  common  grace. 

Thje  Semi-Arminian  theory  differs  from  the  latter  only 
in  name  and  in  a  greater  confusion  of  language.  Ac- 
cording to  this  system,  God  affords  a  portion  of  spir- 
itual fliV/,  producing  something  more  than  lights  and 
something  less  than  holiness.  If  that  aid  is  improved, 
he  will  afford  more  ;  and  so  on,  till  the  change  is  com- 
plete. This  undefinable  influence,  between  an  enlight- 
ening and  a  sanctifying  one,  the  mind,  though  utterly 
destitute  of  "  true  holiness^l''  is  capable  of  improving  so 
as  to  meet  with  divine  approbation^  and,  in  reward^  to 
receive  more ;  but  it  is  capable,  by  the  self-determin- 
ing power  of  the  will,  (which  that  influence  does  not 
control,)  of  misimproving  the  grace,  and  so  losing  the 
effect.  God  really  does  more  for  one  than  another, 
because  one  has  better  improved  his  grace,  though  with 
an  unholy  heart;  but  he  would  do  as  much  for  one  as 
another,  if  all  would  improve  alike.  The  real  differ- 
ence is  made,  not  by  discriminating  grace,  but  by 
one's  improving  divine  influence  better  than  another, 
through  the  self-determining  power  of  the  will,  which 
that  influence  did  not  control.  This  theory  rests  its 
weight  on  three  columns:  the  self-determining  power, 
progressive  regeneration,  and  the  dogma  that  God  ap- 
proves of  unholy  deeds ;  all  which,  I  persuade  myself, 
have  been  proved  to  be  but  shadows. 
12* 


138  REGENERATION 

Men  go  through  life  the  dupes  of  names.  I  beg  to 
know  what  can  be  meant  by  an  influence  which  pro- 
duces something  more  than  light,  and  something  less 
than  holiness  ?  Does  it  enlarge  the  understanding  ? 
Does  it  strengthen  the  memory?  And  if  it  did,  what 
then  ?  What  has  an  enlargement  oi  natural  powers  to 
do  with  a  change  of  heart  ?  Satan,  in  natural  powers, 
surpasses  any  saint  on  earth.  But  of  a  ???orfl/ tendency, 
what  other  influence  can  there  be,  than  that  which  in- 
forms the  conscience  or  improves  the  heart?  in  other 
words,  than  that  which  enlightens  or  sanctifies  ?  Do 
you  say  it  is  an  influence  which  would  lead  to  holi' 
ness  if  the  ivill  did  not  resist  ?  But  what  other  can 
that  be,  than  an  enlightening'  influence  ?  Come,  fix  a 
microscopic  eye  on  this  single  point.  What  influence 
can  you  conceive  of,  between  that  which  presents  mo- 
tives to  the  will,  leaving  it  unconstrained,  and  that 
which  bends  the  will  by  constraining  power  ?*  Do 
you  say,  there  may  be  a  pressure  of  power  which  the 
will  resists  ?  But,  upon  your  principle,  what  right  has 
power  to  encroach  upon  the  freedom  of  the  will,  by 
undertaking  to  compel  it  ?  If  I  have  no  right  to  bring 
a  man  by  force  to  the  house  of  God,  I  have  no  right 
to  exert  the  least  muscular  strength  upon  him,  or  to 
assail  him  in  any  other  way  than  by  motives.  But 
who  knows  that  such  a  pressure  is  made,  if  no  effect 
follows  ?  Who  can  be  conscious  of  a  divine  influ- 
ence but  by  the  effect  ?  But  if  there  be  an  effect,  what 
effect?     What  effect  pressing  in  the  direction  of  holi- 

*   For  an  explanation  and  vindication  of  such  expressions,  see 
Note  to  page  141 


SUPERNATURAL.  139 

ness  ?  Do  you  say  there  is  thoughtfulness,  solemnity, 
and  distress  ?  But  these  are  only  natural  effects  of 
light,  carried  home  to  the  conscience.  Do  you  say, 
it  removes  prejudice  ?  But  how,  except  by  light, 
since  it  leaves  the  lieart  unaltered?  Do  you  say,  it 
restrains  from  passion  and  sin  ?  But  how,  except  by 
motives,  (and  by  regulating,  perhaps,  the  tone  of  the 
body,  and  the  disposition  of  outward  circumstances,) 
if  the  heart  remains  the  same  ?  This  intermediate  in- 
fluence, then,  must  be  an  illusion,  unless  it  is  some- 
thing which  makes  the  heart  better  ivithout  holiness. 
But  it  has  appeared  in  a  former  lecture,  that  in  the 
nature  of  things  the  heart  cannot  be  made  better  till 
it  is  supremely  fixed  on  God.  I  ask  again,  what  aid 
can  the  mind  need  other  than  light,  when  the  self- 
determining  power  is  fully  competent  to  settle  the 
issue  ?  If  the  will  cannot  determine  itself  to  good, 
without  other  aid,  what  becomes  of  the  boasted  self- 
determining  power  ?  I  cannot,  therefore,  compre- 
hend what  more  the  sinner  is  to  receive,  for  improving 
the  grace.  More  what  ?  More  strength  ?  But  what 
do  you  mean  by  more  strength  ?  Do  you  mean  more 
natural  powers  of  body  or  mind?  But  these  are  not 
needed  upon  any  plan,  certainly  not  upon  yours,  for 
the  will,  you  say,  is  fully  competent  to  determine  it- 
self. Do  you,  then,  mean  more  moral  strength  ?  But 
moral  strength  is  holiness,  of  which  the  sinner  pos- 
sesses none  till  regeneration  is  complete.  Do  you 
mean  more  strength  of  resolution  and  desire  ?  But 
what  are  resolutions  and  desires  that  make  the  lieart 
no  better  ?     Do  you  mean  resolutions   and  desires 


140  KEGENERATION 

which  gradually  improve  the  heart  ivithout  holiness  7 
But  this,  again,  is  running  foul  of  the  doctrine  of 
progressive  regeneration,  which  has  been  shown  to 
be  a  dream.  You  must,  then,  mean  more  light; 
and  it  comes  to  this  at  last,  that  all  which  has  been 
received  as  an  enlightening  influence,  that  all  which 
is  to  he  received  is  more  light,  and  still  more  light, — 
and  the  self-determining  power  of  the  will,  influenced 
only  by  light,  is  to  change  the  heart  :  and  this  car- 
ries you  back  to  downright  Arminianism,  from  which 
you  never  departed  but  in  name  and  in  a  more  per- 
fect confusion  of  tongues.  Indeed,  it  is  capable  of  the 
fullest  demonstration,  that  between  the  grossest  Ar- 
minianism and  the  correct  system,  there  can  be  no 
medium.  And  then  this  ruinous  attempt  to  bolster 
up  the  self-righteousness  of  sinners,  by  telling  them 
that  God  will  reward  their  unholy  deeds  !  Has  it  not 
been  shown  that  all  the  feelings  and  actions  of  the 
unregenerate,  so  far  as  they  partake  of  a  moral  nature, 
are  not  only  unholy  but  sinful.  And  will  you  pre- 
sume to  tell  men  that  God  will  reward  sin,  or  things 
at  best  but  indifferent  ?  that  he  will  lavish  rewards  on 
men  who  are  out  of  Christ  and  still  lie  under  con- 
demnation ?  Do  it  if  you  will,  but  you  must  answer 
it  to  God. 

In  opposition  to  all  these  theories,  the  Calvinist 
tells  you,  that  the  heart  is  so  depraved  that  it  ivill  not 
improve  divine  influence  till  it  is  changed ;  that  it  stub- 
bornly  resists  all  light  and  motives  till  it  is  forced  to 
submit;  that  the  moral  ruler  has  as  much  occasion 
to  subdue  the  heart  by  strength,  as  an  earthly  king 


SUPERNATURAL.  141 

to  quell  by  force  his  rebellious  subjects;  and  that  the 
simple  history  of  the  change  is,  that  God  makes  his 
people  ivilling  in  the  day  of  his  power*  And  if  the 
change  is  instantaneous  from  unabated  enmity  to  su- 
preme love,  the  Calvinist  must  be  right.  These  other 
theories  are  founded  on  the  principle  of  progressive 
regeneration,  (so  far  as  they  recognize  any  such 
change,)  and  on  that  of  the  self-determining  power. 
Prove  regeneration  to  be  instantaneous,  and  thus  dis- 
solve the  dream  of  the  self-determining  power,  and 
all  these  theories  sink  at  once. 

But  to  whom  do  the  Scriptures  ascribe  the  change 

*  When  the  author  speaks  of  the  will's  being  constrained  and 
subdued,  he  means  nothing  inconsistent  -with,  freedom.  He  means 
merely  that  a  rebellious  will  has  its  resistance  destroTjed  by  the 
power  of  God.  But  it  still  remains  a  will,  and  acts  as  such  ;  that 
is,  the  mind  continues  to  will,  in  other  words,  to  be  willing,  and  if  will- 
ing, then  free.  The  very  act  of  the  will  is  voluntariness,  —  is  there- 
fore freedom  itself;  and  the  question  whether  this  faculty  is  under  a 
constraint  inconsistent  with  liberty,  is  to  the  author's  mind  as  un- 
meaning as  the  question  whether  freedom  is  free.  The  only  effect  of 
what  in  popular  language  he  calls  a  constraining  influence  is,  that 
God's  people  are  made  willing  In  the  day  of  his  power.  But  when  an 
opposing  will,  Avhich  is  the  voluntary  action  of  the  man,  has  its 
resistance  destroyed  by  the  power  of  God,  —  when  the  spontane- 
ous and  wicked  opposition  of  the  sovil  is  thus  annihilated  by  supe- 
rior strength.  It  is  calculated  to  give  a  just  idea  of  the  moral 
agency  and  guilt  of  the  sinner  to  say  that  the  ivill  is  subdued,  that 
the  rebel  is  conquered.  And  If  this  style  does  not  perfectly  ac- 
cord with  the  dialect  of  metaphysicians,  it  Is  no  less  to  its  praise 
that  it  agrees  with  the  language  of  prophets  and  apostles. 


142  REGENERATION 

in  question  ?  The  answer  meets  you  on  every  page. 
"  The  preparations  of  the  heart  in  man  and  the  an- 
swer of  the  tongue  is  from  the  hordP  "  Every  good 
gift  and  every  perfect  gift  is  from  above^  and  cometh 
doicn  from  the  Father  of  lights^  "  By  grace  are  ye 
saved,  through  faith,  and  that  not  of  yourselves^  it  is 
the  gift  of  God.''''  "  Who  then  is  Paul,  and  who  is 
Apollos,  but  ministers  by  whom  ye  believed,  even  as 
the  Lord  gave  to  every  man  ?  I  have  planted,  Apol- 
los watered,  but  God  gave  the  increase.  So  then 
neither  is  he  that  planteth  anything,  neither  he  that 
watereth,  but  God  that giveth  the  increase.''^  (Prov. 
xvi.  1 ;  1  Cor.  iii.  5 — 7  ;  Eph.  ii.  8  ;  James  i.  17.) 

II.  Is  this  change  brought  about  according  to 
the  stated  operations  of  nature,  or  in  a  supernatural 
way  ? 

In  settling  this  question  every  thing  depends  on 
obtaining  precise  ideas  of  the  meaning  of  the  terms. 
What  then  is  meant  by  the  stated  operations  of 
nature?  Precisely  what  the  terms  obviously  express, 
an-d  what  they  have  always  been  understood  to 
import,  namely :  the  stated  operations  of  Divine 
power,  exerted  through  the  medium  of  second  causes^ 
and  in  so  uniform  a  way  that  a  person,  having  a 
comprehensive  view  of  all  the  laivs  of  nature,  and 
particularly  of  the  second  causes  that  would  be 
brought  to  act  in  a  given  case,  might  infallibly  caU 
culate  the  issue  unless  disappointed  by  a  supernatural 
interposition. 

This  stated  operation  extends  not  only  to  matter 
but  mind,  and  of  course  to  man  as  composed  of 


SUPERNATURAL.  143 

both.  Could  you  perfectly  know  the  hahitual  du- 
position  of  a  man,  what  would  be  the  state  of  his 
bodij  and  outioard  circumstances  at  a  given  time, 
and  all  the  motives  that  would  assail  him ;  and  were 
you  sufficiently  skilled  in  the  laws  of  nature  to 
estimate  universally  and  with  precision  the  influence 
of  second  causes,  —  you  might  infallibly  calculate 
how  he  would  feel  and  act  if  not  prevented  by  a 
supernatural  influence.  Even  with  our  limited  knowl- 
edge of  the  laws  of  nature,  we  can  form  in  many 
instances  very  correct  conjectures  respecting  the 
future  conduct  of  men.  A  skill  at  this  calculation 
forms  much  of  the  ability  of  the  statesman,  and 
indeed  much  of  the  prudence  of  ordinary  life.  From 
the  laws  of  nature  you  may  calculate  with  great 
certainty,  that  men  in  given  circumstances  will 
exercise  feelings  ivholhj  unlike  any  ivhich  they  noio 
possess,  and  in  some  cases,  wholly  unlike  any  which 
they  ever  had ;  as  that  a  passionate  man,  whom  you 
now  see  placid  and  affectionate,  will  rage  when  he 
is  provoked ;  as  that  a  covetous  man,  who  is  now 
melted  into  compassion  and  charity,  will  exercise 
oppression  as  soon  as  a  fit  occasion  offers ;  as  that  a 
youth  when  he  becomes  a  parent,  will  exercise 
parental  affection.  Now  can  you  form  any  such 
calculation  respecting  the  future  conversion  of  men  ? 
or  could  you  if  you  were  perfectly  acquainted  with 
all  the  laws  of  nature  ?  This  is  the  question  to 
BE  tried. 

But  before  proceeding  to  examine  those  laws  of 
nature  on  which  this  effect  must  depend  if  it  is  a 


144  REGENERATION 

natural  effect,  let  us  be  fully  apprised  of  the  conse- 
quences which  must  result  from  adopting  such  a 
principle.  If  the  change  is  brought  about  by  divine 
power  working  through  the  medium  of  second 
causes,  according  to  the  established  course  of  na- 
ture, then  these  consequences  will  follow. 

First,  no  greater  or  other  exertion  of  power  is 
made  at  the  time  of  producing  the  effect,  than  was 
made  in  the  antecedent  preparations  in  nature  to 
produce  it. 

Secondly,  no  greater  or  other  exertion  of  power  is 
made  where  the  effect  folloios  than  where  it  does  not^ 
the  whole  exertion  being  put  forth  to  support  the 
attributes  of  the  natural  agents^  which  are  always  the 
same,  whether  combined  for  action  or  not,  and  must 
produce  the  effect  when  they  are  combined  and  meet 
with  no  special  resistance.  Thus  no  greater  or  other 
exertion  is  made  to  produce  a  crop,  where  seed  and 
soil  and  rain  and  heat  and  ak  combine  and  find  no 
special  resistance,  than  to  support  the  same  agents 
where  they  do  not  combine,  or  where  the  crop  is 
prevented  by  reptiles,  flood,  fire,  or  the  violence  of 
man. 

Thirdly,  where  all  the  natural  agents  combine,  the 
effect  cannot  be  prevented  without  a  supernatural 
interposition. 

Fourthly,  where  natural  agents  enough  combine 
to  produce  the  effect  in  one  instance,  they  will  pro- 
duce it  in  all  unless  prevented  by  special  resistance. 
We  should  then  expect  that  the  same  outward 
means   that    can    convert    one,  would  convert   all, 


SUPERNATURAL.  145 

unless  some  invisible  cause,  such  as  peculiar  stub- 
bornness, or,  special  temptation,  or  the  self-determin- 
ing power  prevented.  But  persons  apparently  the 
most  stubborn,  and  most  exposed  to  temptation, 
often  become  Christians,  while  others,  apparently 
more  pliable  and  less  tempted,  remain  in  sin, — both 
under  the  same  instruction.  To  account  for  num- 
berless disproportions  of  this  sort,  we  should  be 
obliged,  so  far  as  we  can  dicover,  to  resort  to  the  self- 
determining  power  of  the  will. 

The  whole  drift  of  these  consequences  is  to  deny 
that  regeneration  is  any  greater  or  other  exhibition 
of  divine  power  than  the  common  operations  of  na- 
ture. But  how  does  this  comport  with  thos€  texts 
which  represent  the  change  as  preeminently  the  work 
of  God,  and  as  being  a  vast  exhibition  of  pov/er  ? 
"  This  shall  be  the  covenant  that  I  will  make  with 
the  house  of  Israel :  After  those  days,  saith  the  Lord, 
/will  put  my  law  in  their  inward  parts,  and  write  it 
in  their  hearts,  and  luill  be  their  God,  and  they ^hall 
be  my  people."  "  And  /will  give  them  one  heart  and 
one  way,  that  they  may  fear  me  forever.  —  /will  put 
my  fear  in  their  hearts,  that  they  shall  not  depart 
from  me."  "  The  Lord  thy  God  wiW  circumcise  thine 
heart  and  the  heart  of  thy  seed  to  love  the  Lord  thy 
God."  "  /  will  pour  upon  the  house  of  David  and 
upon  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  the  spirit  of  grace 
and  of  supplication  ;  and  they  shall  look  upon  me 
whom  they  have  pierced,  and  they  shall  mourn."  "  I 
thank  thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  be- 
cause thou  hast  hid  these  things  from  the  wise 
13 


146  REGENERATION 

and  prudent  and  hast  revealed  them  unto  babes. 
Even  so,  Father,  for  so  it  seemed  good  in  tliy  sight." 
"  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon  Bar-jona,  for  flesh  and 
blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  my  Father 
which  is  in  heaven."  "  No  man  can  come  to  me 
except  tJie  Father^  which  hath  sent  me,  draw  him. — 
No  man  can  come  unto  me  except  it  were  given 
unto  him  of  my  Father.^^  "  A  certain  woman, 
named  Lydia,  —  heard  us,  whose  heart  the  Lord 
opened."  "  For  God  who  commanded  the  light  to 
shhie  out  of  darkness,  hath  shined  in  our  hearts  to 
give  ibe  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God 
in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ."  "  In  whom  also  ye 
are  circumcised  with  the  circumcision  made  without 
hands,  in  putting  ofl*  the  body  of  the  sins  of  the 
flesh  by  the  circumcision  of  Christ;  buried  with 
him  in  baptism,  wherein  also  you  are  risen  with 
him  through  the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God  who 
hath  raised  him  from  the  dead."  "  The  eyes  of  your 
understanding  being  enlightened,  that  ye  may  know, 
—  what  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power 
to  US-ward  who  believe,  according  to  the  working 
of  his  mighty  power  which  he  wrought  in  Christ 
when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead  and  set  him  at  his 
own  right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places."  By  the 
grace  of  God  I  am  what  I  am ;"  "  ministering  the 
Gospel  of  God,  that  the  offering  up  of  the  Gentiles 
might  be  acceptable,  being  sanctified  by  the  Holy 
Ghost ;"  *'  Whereof  I  was  made  a  minister,  accord- 
ing to  the  gift  of  the  grace  of  God  given  unto  me 
by  the  effectual  working  of  his  power.     Now  unto 


SUPERNATURAL.  147 

him  that  is  able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly  above  all 
that  we  ask  or  think,  according  to  the  power  that 
worketh  in  us,  unto  him  be  glory  in  the  church  by 
Jesus  Christ  throughout  all  ages,  world  without 
end."  (Deut.  xxx.  6  ;  Jer.  xxxi.  33  and  xxxii.  39,  40  ; 
Zech.  xii.  10 ;  Mat.  xi.  25,  26  and  xvi.  17 ;  John  vi. 
44,  Q6  ;  Acts  xvi.  14  ;  Rom.  xv.  16  ;  1  Cor.  xv.  10 ; 
2  Cor.  iv.  6 ;  Eph.  i.  18—20  and  iii.  7,  20  ;  Col.  ii. 
11,  12.) 

Such  is  the  emphasis  everywhere  laid,  not  only  on 
the  agency,  but  on  the  mighty  power  of  God  in 
sanctifying  the  heart.  And  now  let  me  ask,  do  these 
representations  appear  as  though  he  was  the  author 
of  holiness  in  no  higher  sense  than  he  is  the  "  father" 
of  "  the  rain"  and  begetteth  "  the  drops  of  the  dew  ?  " 

But  this  question  must  be  brought  to  a  stricter  test. 
It  is  necessary  to  examine  those  laws  of  nature  in  re- 
lation to  mind  on  which  the  change  must  depend 
if  it  is  a  natural  effect.  If  this  part  of  the  subject 
should  be  less  intelligible  and  interesting,  it  may  be 
some  consolation  to  know  that  it  will  not  be  long. 

There  are  but  two  ways  of  changing  the  mind  of 
man  by  second  causes  ;  one  by  motives,  the  other  by 
mechanical  influence.  Every  influence  of  a  second 
cause  which  is  not  of  the  nature  of  a  motive,  may 
properly  be  denominated  mechanical,  as  its  action, 
not  being  through  the  medium  of  the  will,  is  much 
like  that  of  one  material  substance  upon  another. 
Now  if  we  examine  the  effects  produced  on  mind 
by  these  two  causes,  we  shall  come  to  the  three  fol- 
lowing conclusions :    first,  that  motives  have  no  in- 


148  REGENERATION 

fluence  to  change  the  disposition;  secondly,  that 
mechanical  causes,  which  alter  the  disposition,  taste, 
and  feelings  of  the  mind,  do  it  by  a  gradual  process, 
except  in  the  single  instance  where  the  change  de- 
pends on  a  sudden  alteration  in  the  state  of  the 
hodu  ;  thirdly,  that  of  course  no  law  of  nature  can 
produce  an  instantaneous  change  of  heart. 

The  three  leading  laws  of  nature  in  relation  to 
mind  which  have  any  connection  with  our  subject, 
are  these  :  — 

Fkst,  that  the  ivill^  the  immediate  cause  of  muscu- 
lar motion,  is  governed  by  motives  addressed  to  the 
heart  and  approved  by  the  heart.  As  far  as  the  mo- 
tive agrees  with  the  temper  of  the  heart,  that  is,  with 
the  tastes  and  affections  of  the  man,  and  no  further, 
has  it  any  power  to  move  the  will.  A  feast  is  no 
motive  where  there  is  no  appetite.  The  happiness 
of.,  another  is  no  motive  where  the  person  is  hated. 
The  glory  of  God  is  no  motive  to  an  opposing  heart. 
The  power  of  a  motive  to  influence  the  will,  always 
presupposes  a  disposition  in  the  heart  to  entertain 
and  fall  in  with  it. 

Secondly,  the  disposition  of  the  heart,  (whether  you 
mean  by  disposition  the  stated  manner  of  its  acting 
or  the  foundation  of  its  exercises,)  is  never  produced 
by  motives  even  as  a  second  cause.  If  by  the  dispo- 
sition of  the  heart  you  mean  the  stated  manner  of  its 
acting,  and  call  the  objects  towards  which  it  acts  the 
motives  of  its  action,  then  my  position  is,  that  the 
objects,  (though  individually  the  occasion  of  each 
particular  exercise,)  never  gave  the  heart  the  habitual 


SUPERNATURAL.  149 

turn  to  act  with  love  rather  than  aversion  towards 
objects  of  that  description.  To  be  beloved,  the  ob- 
jects must  individually  be  of  a  class  which  the  heart 
is  already  accustomed  to  love,  or  is  commencing  the 
custom  under  the  influence  of  a  cause  wholly  distinct 
from  the  objects.  An  object  belonging  to  a  class 
which  the  heart  is  accustomed  to  hate,  will  not  ex- 
cite love  till  there  is  first  a  change  of  stated  action 
which  the  object  did  not  produ^^e.  The  heart  must 
have  begun  a  course  of  action  favorable  to  objects 
of  a  particular  description,  before  you  can  calculate 
that  any  one  of  them  wiU  be  beloved.  When  one 
of  that  class,  standing  late  in  the  series,  is  presented 
to  the  mind  and  meets  with  regard,  you  at  once  per- 
ceive that  that  individual  did  not  produce  the  estab- 
lished course.  Transfer  then  your  thoughts  to  the 
first  object  in  the  series,  and  you  immediately  dis- 
cover that  that  individual  had  no  more  influence 
to  settle  the  course.  You  instantly  resort  to  an 
anterior  cause.  That  cause  you  say  is  God,  whose 
influence  to  begin  the  course  was  prior  in  the  order 
of  nature  to  the  first  act  towards  the  first  object. 
The  objects  individually  occasion  action  of  some 
sort  ;  but  that  a  whole  class  are  statedly  loved 
by  one  and  hated  by  another,  must  be  imputed 
to  a  cause  wholly  distinct  from  the  objects  them- 
selves :  for  if  the  cause  lay  in  the  objects,  the  effect 
would  be  the  same  on  every  mind.  It  is  obvious 
therefore  that  the  love  of  an  object  presupposes  a 
course  of  action  favorable  to  objects  of  that  class ^ 
previously  established,  or  then  commencing  under 
13* 


150  .  REGENERATION 

the  influence  of  a  cause  wholly  independent  of  the 
object.  In  other  words,  it  presupposes  a  stated  fnan- 
ner  of  action, —  a  disposition  (as  you  are  pleased  to 
call  it,)  which  the  object  had  no  influence  to  produce. 
What  is  presupposed  in  the  first  influence  which  the 
object  exerts,  could  not  be  produced  by  the  object  it- 
self, even  as  a  second-cause. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  you  mean  by  disposition  a 
taste  or  principle  that  is  the  foundation  of  exercises, 
then  it  is  still  more  evident  that  an  object,  to  be  be- 
loved, must  be  adapted  to  the  existing'  disposition : 
of  course,  it  had  no  influence  to  produce  it.  If  you 
admit  the  existence  of  a  taste  or  principle,  and  call 
the  object  the  motive  which  moves  the  heart  to  action, 
you  Avill  readily  allow  that  the  object  must  be  accom- 
modated to  the  taste  before  it  can  become  a  motive, 
that  is,  before  it  can  be  beloved.  It  must  find  the 
disposition  prepared  to  entertain  it,  before  it  can 
move  the  heart.  A  hated  object  can  never  be  a  mo- 
tive to  love  ;  but  a  beloved  object  finds  the  taste 
already  in  its  favor.  The  power  of  the  object  to  be- 
come a  motive,  presupposes  a  disposition  in  the  heart 
to  love  it.  Of  course,  it  did  not  produce  that  dispo- 
sition, even  as  a  second  cause.  And  if,  by  its  own 
charms,  it  cannot  create  the  disposition,  neither  can  it 
by  associating  with  itself  the  consideration  of  advan- 
tage. The  heart  is  not  so  to  be  bribed.  "  K  a  man 
would  give  all  the  substance  of  his  house  for  love^  it 
would  utterly  be  contemned."  (Cant.  viii.  7.)  It  is 
impossible,  then,  that  a  new  disposition  should  be 
produced  in  a  natural  (I  may  add,  or  even  in  a  super- 


SUPERNATURAL.  151 

natural)  way,  by  the  influence  of  motives.  Motives, 
as  objects  of  love  or  aversion,  occasion  the  heart  to 
act  according  to  its  existing  disposition^  and  there  their 
power  ends.* 

Thu'dly :  though  the  tastes  and  feelings  of -the  heart 
cannot  be  changed  by  motives,  they  do  undergo  great 
and  permanent  alterations  through  the  mechanical 
influence  of  second  causes,  and  therefore  in  a  natu- 
ral way ;  but  these  changes  are  all  brought  about  by  a 
gradual  process,  except  in  the  single  instance  where 
they  depend  on  a  sudden  alteration  in  the  state  of  the 
body.  Where  the  body  is  suddenly  and  permanently 
thrown  into  a  new  state  by  deep  affliction  or  disease, 
the  man  may  instantly  and  finally  lose,  for  example, 
his  love  of  books,  his  love  of  music  or  painting  or 
commercial  business  or  a  military  life.  In  all  other 
instances,  the  change  is  slow  and  progressive.  How 
many  new  tastes  or  habits  of  feeling  are  gradually 
formed  by  enlargement  of  views,  by  increasing  age, 

*  To  some,  who  cast  an  eye  on  the  first  edition  of  this  work, 
it  did  not  appear  self-evident  that  a  new  disposition  may  not  be 
produced  by  the  instrumentality  of  motives,  though  not  in  a  natu- 
ral, yet  in  a  supernatural  way.  But  if,  in  tlie  nature  of  things,  a 
motive  cannot  exert  an  influence  on  the  mind  till  it  first  accords 
with  the  disposition  ;  for  instance,  if  a  feast  cannot  excite  a  desire 
while  it  is  loathed  ;  it  cannot  be  7nade  to  exert  such  an  influence 
by  any  power  whatever.  For  one  to  exercise  a  dii^ect  desire  for 
what  he  hates.  —  for  a  detested  object  to  awaken  love,  or  by  all 
the  considerations  associated  with  it  to  produce  a  disposition  to 
love  the  object  for  its  own  sake,  appears  not  to  lie  within  the  reach 
of  possibility. 


152  REGENERATION 

by  new  connections,  by  a  change  of  employment,  by 
the  influence  of  climate,  diet,  affliction,  and  various 
other  causes. 

According  to  these  laws,  then,  God  acts  in  a  natu- 
ral way»when  he  causes  the  muscles  to  obey  the  will, 
the  will  to  obey  the  heart  by  yielding  to  motives 
which  the  heart  approves,  the  heart  to  act  towards 
diflferent  objects  according  to  its  present  disposition, 
naturally  produced,  (whether  you  mean  by  disposition 
the  stated  manner  oi  its  acting,  or  something  which  is 
the  foundation  of  its  exercises,)  or  when  he  alters  the 
disposition,  either  suddenly  by  a  change  in  the  body, 
or  progressively  by  the  mechanical  influence  of  other 
natural  causes.  These  I  call  natural  eflTects,  because 
a  person  acquainted  with  all  the  laws  of  nature,  know- 
ing perfectly  the  present  disposition  of  another  and 
all  the  mechanical  causes  that  would  conspire  to  alter 
it,  (everything  supernatural  being  withheld,)  having  a 
complete  view  of  the  state  of  that  person's  body  and 
outward  circumstances  at  a  given  time,  and  fore- 
seeing all  the  motives  that  would  be  addressed  to  his 
heart,  might  calculate  how  he  would  feel  and  act, 
we  have  every  reason  to  believe,  with  as  much  pre- 
cision as  we  can  calculate  an  eclipse. 

Now  to  apply  these  principles  to  the  case  of  re- 
generation. It  will  not  be  pretended  that  this  great 
and  permanent  revolution  of  character  is  produced 
by  a  sudden  alteration  in  the  state  of  the  body;  and 
as  it  is  instantaneous,  it  cannot  be  brought  about  by 
the  mechanical  influence  of  other  second  causes  ;  not, 
therefore,  by  lights  in  the  way  that  our  tastes  and  hab- 


SUPERNATURAL.  153 

its  of  feeling  are  gradually  changed  by  knowledge. 
Therefore,  in  one  of  the  two  ways  in  which  the  mind 
is  changed  by  second  causes,  this  revolution  cannot 
take  place.  It  must,  then,  if  it  is  a  natural  effect,  be 
brought  about  by  motives.  But  motives,  we  have  seen, 
have  no  influence  to  produce  a  new  disposition,  in 
either  sense  of  the  word,  least  of  all  to  produce  that 
heavenly  temper  which  is  wrought  in  regeneration. 
Though  the  word  of  God,  in  the  shape  of  motives, 
has  an  important  instrumentality  in  carrying  on  the 
preparatory  work  in  the  conscience,  and  in  occasioning 
the  exercises  of  the  new  heart,  it  is  in  no  sense  instru- 
mental in  changing  the  clisposition.  The  motives  must 
find  the  disposition  already  prepared  to  favor  them 
before  they  can  act  upon  the  mind.  The  holiness  and 
justice  of  God,  for  instance,  are  no  motives  to  love 
while  they  are  hated.  The  amiableness  of  religion  is 
no  motive,  while  it  does  not  appear  amiable  to  the 
mind.  The  mercy  of  God,  and  the  rewards  of  religion, 
with  all  the  hopes  they  inspire,  and  all  the  claims  to 
gratitude  they  bring,  and,  I  may  add,  the  terrors  of 
the  law,  find  nothing  of  a  moral  nature  to  address, 
in  such  a  heart,  but  the  mere  principle  of  selfishness: 
but  considerations  addressed  to  selfishness,  or  which 
find  nothing  else  in  the  heart  to  appeal  to,  can  never 
weaken  the  dominion  of  self-love.  The  reasonable- 
ness of  religion  and  the  criminality  of  sin  may  press 
the  conscience^  but  they  will  press  millions  of  con- 
sciences to  eternity,  without  proving  motives  to  love. 
If  conscience  can  control  the  heart,  the  heart  is  not  de- 


154  KEGENERATION 

praved.  If  the  heart  is  ready  to  love  God  as  soon  as 
it  sees  its  obligations,  it  is  well  disposed.  If  all  that 
is  to  be  removed  is  ignorance,  its  sin  is  only  a  mis- 
fortune. If  the  enmity  is  a  mere  prejudice,  which 
light  can  remove,  it  opposes  nothing  but  a  false  im- 
age of  God,  and  is  commendable.  But  if  the  carnal 
mind  is  hostile  to  the  true  God,  it  will  hate  him  the 
more,  the  more  it  sees  him  ;  and  light  (as  at  the  last 
day)  will  only  rouse  the  enmity  to  stronger  action. 
To  use  light,  then,  as  an  instrument  to  cure  the  dis- 
position, is  like  using  oil  to  extinguish  fire.  But  it  is 
enough  to  ask,  how  can  the  motives  of  religion  be  the 
instruments  of  producing  a  new  disposition,  when 
that  disposition  must  exist  before  the  motive  can  take 
hold  of  the  heart  ?  Or  the  question  may  be  decided  by 
facts.  Have  not  all  these  motives  assailed  the  heart 
for  many  years,  without  taking  away  a  particle  of  its 
opposition  ?  For  months  together  have  they  not  been 
set  home  upon  the  conscience,  without  at  all  weak- 
ening the  enmity?  How  comes  it  to  pass,  then,  that 
at  length,  in  one  moment,  they  enter  the  heart  and 
rise  to  supreme  dominion  ?  Have  they,  all  at  once, 
broken  their  way  through,  and  assisted  in  new-model- 
ling a  heart  on  which,  till  that  moment,  they  could 
have  no  influence?  The  decisive  question  is:  Was 
the  power  applied  to  the  motives^  to  open  a  passage 
for  themselves  ;  or  to  the  hearty  to  open  a  passage 
for  them  ?  Let  the  event  declare  :  the  heart  was  new 
before  the  motives  entered. 

As  then  the  change  in  question  is  effected  neither 


SUPERNATURAL.  155 

by  mechanical  causes  nor  by  the  influence  of  motives, 
it  is  not  brought  about  by  any  of  the  laws  of  nature, 
and  of  course  is  supernatural. 

An  effect  may  be  supernatural  which  is  produced 
by  a  second-cause  above  7iatKre, — for  instance,  an 
angel ;  but  the  one  under  consideration  is  not  only 
supernatural  but  immediate^  in  the  sense  in  which  those 
effects  were  immediate  which  followed  the  extension 
of  Moses'  rod,  the  blast  of  trumpets  before  the  walls 
of  Jericho,  the  voice  of  Ezekiel  in  the  valley  of  bones, 
and  the  application  of  clay  to  the  eyes  of  the  blind 
man.* 

*  These  exertions  of  miraculous  power,  I  consider  immediate, 
though  preceded  by  antecedents  which  had  no  stated  connection 
with  the  effects.  I  consider  no  power  mediately  exerted,  natural 
or  supernatural,  but  through  an  instrument  which  statedly  pro- 
duces the  effect  when  employed. 

This  question  of  mediate  or  immediate,  however,  is  not  a  ques- 
tion whether  the  power  is  lodged  in  second  causes  or  remains  in 
God.  Even  physical  causes  have  no  efficiency,  and  are  nothing 
but  stated  antecedents.  But  they  have  a  nature  and  they  have 
properties,  and  those  properties  act  upon  objects,  and  instrument- 
ally  produce  effects,  and  become  real  second-causes.  Thus  fire 
consumes  wood.  The  power  is  indeed  all  of  God,  but  it  acts  only 
in  that  influence  which  appears  to  be  inherent  in  the  second  cause. 
So  in  cases  of  supernatural  agency,  wherever  the  power  is  exerted 
through  a  second  cause,  it  appears  to  reside  in  that  cause  ;  as, 
where  an  angel  is  employed,  or,  where  sanctification  is  carried  on 
by  a  stated  connection  of  antecedents  and  consequents,  according 
to  a  law  of  the  new  creation,  I  know  of  no  instrument,  naturally 
or  supernaturally  employed,  that  does  not  drop  its  own  proper 
and  stated  influence  upon  the  subject.  To  act  mediately,  is  not  to 
act  merely  after  an  antecedent,  but  to  act  through  a  second  cause. 


156  KEGENERATION 

To  sum  up  all  in  a  word,  there  is  no  stated  opera- 
tion of  Divine  power  from  which  we  can  infer,  or 
could  if  we  knew  all  the  laws  of  nature,  that  a  con- 
victed sinner,  in  any  state  in  which  he  can  be  before 
regeneration,  will  the  next  moment  be  the  subject  of 
this  change :  or  indeed  that  a  man  placed  in  any  situ- 
ation, or  assailed  by  any  means,  will  ever  become  a 

But  where  the  properties  wlilch  God  imparts  to  an  antecedent  do 
not  act  upon  the  subject  to  produce  the  effect,  he  cannot  be  said 
to  aJbt  through  a  second  cause  in  producing  it ;  that  is,  his  influ- 
ence is  not  barely  that  which  appears  to  reside  in  the  antecedent. 
To  say  that  an  effect  is  not  immediate  because  preceded  by  a 
mere  antecedent  in  which  is  lodged  no  influence  or  instrumental- 
ity more  than  in  any  other  antecedents  in  another  part  of  the 
world,  and  which  can  in  no  sense  be  regarded  as  a  second  cause, 
seems  a  confusion  of  terms. 

In  point  of  immediateness,  the  new  disposition  stands  exactly 
on  a  footing  with  these  miraculous  effects  mentioned  in  the  text. 
In  one  case,  the  rod  was  stretched  out ;  in  the  other  case,  light  is 
spread  before  the  mind :  but  in  neither  can  I  trace  any  such  in- 
fluence in  the  antecedent,  as  belongs  to  a  second  cause. 

Even  physical  causes  are  only  stated  antecedents.  Yet  that 
stated  connection  between  antecedents  and  consequents,  is  what 
we  calculate  upon  in  all  our  attempts  to  accomplish  anything  in  a 
natural  way  by  our  own  agency.  To  suppress  all  similar  expec- 
tations of  achieving  anything  by  our  agency,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
in  the  business  of  regeneration,  I  urge  that  there  is  no  established 
connection  between  any  antecedent  and  this  effect.  This  is  all  I 
mean.  And  this  must  be  maintained,  in  order  to  suppress  the 
presumptuous  hope.  For,  if  regenerating  power  acts  through  a 
stated  antecedent,  or  course  of  antecedents,  we  may  expect  as 
much  from  our  own  agency  in  this  as  in  physical  cnt  ?rprisc3. 


SUPERNATURAL.  157 

real  Christian  :•  in  other  words,  there  is  no  second- 
cause  which  is  an  invariable  antecedent  to  this  effect. 
"  The  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth,  and  thou  hear- 
est  the  sound  thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it 
Cometh  and  whither  it  goeth  ;  so  is  every  one  that  is 
born  of  the  Spirit."  (John  iii.  8.) 

This  doctrine  is  confirmed  by  the  word  of  God,  in 
representations  as  strong  as  any  language  can  furnish. 
The  change  is  there  expressed  by  a  variety  of  names, 
borrowed  from  the  most  stupendous  operations  of  su- 
pernatural power.  It  is  called  a  neio  creation:  "We 
are  his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto 
good  works."  "Therefore  if  any  man  be  in  Christ, 
he  is  a  new  creature.''^  "  The  neiv  man,  which  after 
God  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness." 
If  the  first  creation  established  the  laivs  of  nature,  the 
new  creation,  according  to  analogy,  should  establish 
another  scries  of  operations,  regular  indeed,  but  above 
nature.  And  this  appears  to  be  the  fact.  Further, 
the  change  is  called  a  resurrection  from  the  dead  : 
"  You  hath  he  quickened  who  were  dead  in  trespasses 
and  sins. — God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great 
love  wherewith  he  loved  us  even  when  we  were  dead 
in  sins,  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ."  "As 
the  Father  raiseth  up  the  dead  and  quickenetJi  them, 
even  so  the  Son  quickeneth  whom  he  will. — The  hour 
is  coming,  and  now  is,  when  the  dead  shall  hear  the 
voice  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  they  that  hear  shall  //ye." 
The  vision  of  Ezekiel  is  to  the  same  purpose.  The 
change  is  also  called  by  names  taken  from  the  super- 
natural operations  of  our  Saviour  upon  the  bodies  of 
14 


158  REGENERATION 

men,  such  as  opening  the  eyes  of  the  blmd  and  unstop- 
ping the  ears  of  the  deaf :  "  I,  the  Lord,  have  called 
thee  in  righteousness  —  to  open  the  blind  eyes." 
"And  in  that  day  shall  the  deaf  hear  the  words  of  the 
book,  and  the  eyes  of  the  blind  shall  see  out  of  obscurity 
and  out  of  darkness."  It  is  called  the  removal  of  the  old 
heart  and  the  production  of  a  neiv  one  :  "A  new  heart 
—  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put  within 
you,  and  I  will  take  away  the  stony  heart  out  of  your 
flesh,  and  I  will  give  you  a  heart  of  flesh."  It  is 
called  a  new  birth :  "  Except  a  man  be  born  again, 
he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  (Isa.  xxix.  18  and 
xlii.  6,  7  ;  Ezek.  xi.  19  and  xxxvi.  26,  27  and  xxxvii. 
1__10  ;  John  iii.  3,  5  and  v.  21,  25 ;  2  Cor.  v.  17  ; 
Eph.  ii.  1,  4, 5, 10  and  iv.  24 ;  Col.  ii.  13.)  The  first 
bii'th  is  according  to  nature  ;  but  I  am  disposed  to  in- 
quire, with  the  wondering  Nicodemus,  by  what  natu- 
ral process  a  man  can  be  born  when  he  is  old.  Indeed, 
all  these  figures,  if  you  would  save  them  from  the 
charge  of  the  most  unaccountable  extravagance,  de- 
note a  change  above  nature.  How  strangely  inflated 
would  it  seem  to  call  any  of  the  natural  alterations, 
which  daily  take  place  in  our  feelings  and  conduct, 
a  new  creation,  a  new  birth,  or  a  resurrection  from 
the  dead. 

But  though  the  effect  is  supernatural,  I  do  not  call 
it  miraculous^  this  term  being  appropriated  to  events 
more  obvious  to  the  senses,  and  intended  to  furnish 
visible  and  tangible  proof  of  the  truth  of  religion. 
This  is  the  fair  definition  of  a  miracle  ;  and  to  apply 
the  name  to  such  an  invisible,  unobtrusive   effect, 


SUPERNATURAL.  159 

can  have  no  other  tendency  than  to  discredit  the 
doctrine  of  a  supernatural  change. 

IIL  Is  this  change  wrought  on  account  of  any- 
thing previously  done  by  the  sinner,  or  in  any  sense 
by  his  cooperation  ? 

This  question  is  soon  disposed  of.  It  has  been 
proved  that  till  the  moment  of  the  change  the  sinner 
is  in  a  state  of  complete  rebellion  against  God,  and 
except  things  indifferent  does  nothing  but  sin.  But 
does  the  moral  Governor  of  the  world  reward  actions 
which  are  sinful  or  indifferent  ?  I  have  proved  that 
he  does  not.  And  what  proof  can  yon  set  in  oppo- 
sition to  this  ?  None  derived  from  his  promises^  for 
it  has  been  shown  that  none  of  the  promises  respect 
the  actions  of  the  unregenerate.  And  if  no  promise^ 
then  no  explicit  encoura^eiJient;  for  with  every  being 
of  truth  and  honor  such  an  encouragement  would 
amount  to  a  promise.  You  cannot  then  find  the 
proof  in  his  word.  And  to  argue  from  his  providence 
is  altogether  fallacious.  "  No  man  knoweth  either 
love  or  hatred  by  all  that  is  before  them.  All  things 
come  alike  to  all ;  there  is  one  event  to  the  righteous 
and  to  the  wicked."  (EccL  ix.  1,  2.)  You  do  not 
find  then  the  proof  in  his  providence  nor  yet  in  his 
word.  Where  then  do  you  find  it  ?  Indeed,  for  a 
man,  ivithout  any  other  dependence  on  Christ  than 
the  tinregenerate  feel^  to  expect  to  obtain  a  new 
heart  from  God  by  anything  which  he  can  say  or 
do,  is  sheer  self-righteousness. 

Nor  does  the  sinner  co-operate  in  producing  this 
change,  unless  unabated  enmity  is  cooperation.      In 


160  rwEGEXERATION 

the  conversion  which  follows,  he  is  indeed  active ; 
but  in  effecting  the  change  itself,  he  cooperates  in 
no  other  sense  than  the  rebel  who  is  subdued  by- 
force  of  arms  assists  his  prince  in  vanquishing  him- 
self. His  conscience  is  indeed  on  the  side  of  God, 
and  so  are  the  consciences  of  devils.  His  ivishes 
appear  to  lean  the  same  way,  but  it  is  from  a  selfish 
bias.  His  body  so  far  cooperates  as  to  bring  him 
to  the  temple  and  altar.  But  his  hearty  which  in  the 
sight  of  God  is  the  luhole  man,  struggles  against  the 
Spirit  till  the  change  is  complete.  Till  the  whole 
cause  has  exerted  itself,  the  whole  strength  of  the 
moral  affections  is  opposed  to  holiness. 


INFERENCES. 

1.  "Wherever  this  supernatural  power  is  exerted, 
the  effect  will  surely  follow.  What  should  hinder  ? 
The  opposition  of  the  heart?  But  the  very  thing 
which  the  power  has  to  do  is  to  annihilate  that  op- 
position and  make  the  subject  "  ivillingy  If  it  does 
not  this  it  does  nothing,  it  has  not  the  least  influence, 
it  is  no  power.  If  God  attempts  to  sanctify  the 
heart  and  does  not  succeed,  one  thing  is  certain, 
creatures  can  never  know  that  the  attempt  was  made 
unless  he  informs  them.  They  cannot  feel  his  hand, 
they  only  feel  the  effect.  But  God  is  not  likely  to 
disclose  a  secret  so  discreditable  to  his  power.  Do 
you  say  his  power  is  limited  by  a  regard  for  the  lib- 
ertij  of  his  subjects?  Then  I  propose  this  dilemma: 
either  he  can  make  his  people  "  willing"  without  de- 


SUPERNATURAL.  161 

stroying  their  freedom^  or  he  cannot :  if  he  can,  why 
should  the  attempt  ever  fail  ?  if  he  cannot,  his  suc- 
cess is  never  certain,  and  he  must  ask  leave  of  the 
self-determining  power  of  the  will  to  have  a  Church : 
how  then  could  he  promise  his   Son  a  seed  to  serve 
him  ?     But  it  is  not  so.     He  can  make   his  people 
"  willing"  and    yet  leave   them    free.     If  they    are 
"  ivilling^''  are  they  not  free  ?     What  is  freedom  but 
a  power  to  do  as  they  please  ?     In  no  act  are  they 
made  to  act  against  their  will.     Their  willingness, 
though  produced  by  God,  is  as  much  their  oian  will- 
ingness, as  though  they  had  produced  it  themselves. 
"Will  you  say  that  the  infant  does  not  himself  live 
because  he  did  not  produce  his  own  life  ?  or  that  he 
does  not  himself  see  because  he  did  not  create  his 
own  eyes  ?  or  that  a  man  is  not  himself  willing,  and 
therefore  free,  because  he  was  made  willing  in  the 
day  of  God's  power  ?       What  then  should  hinder 
God  from  making  his  people  willing  in  every  in- 
stance  in  which   he  undertakes  ?     In  other  words, 
what  should  hinder  him  from  destroying-  all  resist- 
ance, and  making  the  soul  a  willing  captive,  in  every 
case  where  he  attempts  to  produce  this  identical  ef- 
fect ?     This  is  the  only  thing  that  he  ever  attempts 
to  accomplish  when  he  ex  ^rts  his -sanctifying  influ- 
ence.    If  this  is  not  done,  nothing  is  done  ;  if  this 
is  not  attempted,  nothing  is  attempted;  for  between 
making   his    people  willing  and  not  making   them 
willing,  there  is  no  spot    at  which    his    sanctifying 
power  can  stop,  no  p3int  at  which  it  can  aim.     In 
all  cases,  then,  whore  this  influence  is  exerted,  the 
14* 


162  REGENERATION 

effect  will  certainly  follow.*  Of  course,  wherever 
this  effect  does  not  follow,  the  influence  is  not  exerted. 
Therefore, 

2.  God  exerts  this  influence  upon  some  and  not 
upon  others  ;  and  that  not  because  the  favored  ones 
have  better  improved  his  gi-ace,  not  because  they 
have  done  anything  to  aid  or  induce  him,  but 
because  he  "  will  have  mercy  on  whom"  he  "  will 
have  mercy."  "  So  then  it  is  not  of  him  that  willeth, 
nor  of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that  showeth 
mercy.  —  Therefore  hath  he  mercy  on  whom  he  will 
have  mercy,  and  whom  he  will  he  hardeneth.  Thou 
wilt  say  then  unto  me,  Why  doth  he  yet  find  fault  ? 
for  who  hath  resisted  his  will  ?  Nay,  but  O  man, 
who  art  thou  that  repliest  against  God  ?  Shall  the 
thing  formed  say  to  him  that  formed  it,  why  hast 
thou  made  me  thus?  Hath  not  the  potter  power 
over  the  clay,  of  the  same  lump  to  make  one  vessel 
unto  honor  and  another  unto  dishonor  ?  "  "  What 
saith  the  answer  of  God  ?  I  have  reserved  to  myself 
seven  thousand  men  who  have  not  bowed  the  knee 
to  Baal.  Even  so  then  at  this  present  time  there  is 
a  remnant  according  to  the  election  of  grace.  And 
if  by  grace,  then  it  is  no  more  of  works  ;  otherwise 
grace  is  no  more  grace.  But  if  it  be  of  works,  then 
it  is  no  more  grace ;  otherwise  work  is  no  more 
work.  AVhat  then  ?  Israel  hath  not  obtained  that 
w^hich  he  seeketh  for,  but  the  election  hath  obtained 

*  Yet  the  influence  is,  not  properly  called  irresistible,  for  it 
merely  prevents  resistance. 


SUPERNATURAL.  163 

it,  and  the  rest  were  blinded."  "  I  thank  thee,  O 
Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  because  thou  hast 
hid  these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent  and  hast 
revealed  them  unto  babes.  Even  so.  Father,  for  so 
it  seemed  good  in  thy  sight."  "  Who  maketh  thee 
to  differ  from  another?  and  what  hast  thou  that  thou 
didst  not  receive?  Noiu  if  tJiou  didst  received  it, 
vj/i7/  dost  thou  glory  as  if  thou  hadst  not  received  it  .^" 
(Mat.  xi.  25,  26  ;  Rom.  ix.  15  —  21  and  xi.  4  — 7 ;  1 
Cor.  iv.  7.)  Does  the  Arminian  hear  this  ?  Do  a 
gainsaying  world  hear  this  ?  Let  every  mouth  be 
stopped,  and  the  whole  world  prostrate  and  speech- 
less before  God.     Amen. 


LECTURE  VIL 


MEANS  OF  GRACE. 

ISAIAH  Iv.  11. 

60  shall  my  word  be  that  goeth  forth  out  of  my 
mouth;  it  shall  not  ri^turn  unto  me  void,  but  it 

SHALL  accomplish  THAT  WHICH  I  PLEASE,  AND    IT   SHALL 
PROSPER  IN  THE  THING  WHERETO  I  SENT  IT. 

In  former  lectures  it  has  appeared  that  during  all 
the  convictions  and  exertions  of  the  unregenerate, 
they  experience  no  diminution  of  depravity,  no 
approximation  towards  holiness,  no  feelings  which 
are  otherwise  than  sinful  or  indifferent ;  that  none 
of  their  actions  in  the  sight  of  God  are  good, 
none  of  their  prayers  answered;  that  no  influence 
of  the  Spirit  is  exerted  upon  their  minds  further 
than  to  enlighten  them  and  leave  truth  to  work 
its  natural  effect ;  and  that  regeneration  viewed 
distinct  from  the  convictions  which  go  before  and 
the  exercises  which  follow  is  wrought  by  immediate 
power. 

It  might  be  expected  that  something  should  be 
said,  in  this  part  of  the  course,  about  the  means  of 


MEANS   OF   GRACE.  165 

grace ;  and  for  this  purpose  I  have  chosen  a  text 
which  will  lead  me  to  speak  of  the  word  of  God:  for, 
excepting  two  things  in  the  exertions  of  Christians, 
which  I  shall  presently  mention,  all  the  means  of 
grace  consist  in  the  truths  of  the  word^  and  the  various 
ways  of  conveying  them  to  the  mind.  What  are  Bibles, 
sermons,  and  sacraments,  but  instruments  to  carry 
truth  to  the  understanding  and  heart?  What  are  all 
the  expostulations  of  others,  but  efforts  to  press  the 
motives,  contained  in  truth,  upon  the  sensibilities  of 
the  soul  ?  What  are  the  passions,  which  preachers 
address,  but  channels  through  which  truth  is  carried 
to  the  quick,  or  instruments  to  rouse  the  soul  to  view 
it  with  sharpened  attention  ?  What  does  providence 
more  than  illustrate  and  enforce  revealed  truth  ? 
Sabbaths  are  not  means  of  grace,  so  much  as  oppor- 
timities  to  attend  on  ordinances  and  exercises  that  are. 
All  the  exertions  of  men  for  their  own  salvation,  (ex- 
cept mere  motions  of  the  body,  and  two  things  in  the 
efforts  of  Christians  before  alluded  to,)  may  be  sum- 
med up  in  the  single  word  attention, —  attention  to 
truth  and  to  the  ordinances  which  convey  truth  to  the 
mind.  If  the  attention  is  set  to  watch  their  own  cor- 
ruptions, it  is  only  to  see  the  illustrations  of  a  revealed 
truth ;  if  they  strive  to  regulate  their  passions,  the 
only  effort  —  besides  shunning  motives  which  excite 
the  passions  ;  in  other  words,  avoiding  temptation, — 
the  only  effort  made  upon  the  mind,  is  to  fix  its  eye 
steadily  on  motives  drawn,  if  the  motives  arc  right, 
from  the  word  of  God.  And  what  is  meditation, 
other  than  a  fixed  attention  to  truth  ?     Prayer,  too, 


166  MEANS    OF    GRACE. 

besides  the  efficacy  of  asking  in  faith,  and  the  mere 
exercise  of  pious  feelings,  is  only  the  highest  degree 
of  attention.  I  say,  besides  the  efficacy  of  asking-  in 
faith,  and  the  mere  exercise  of  pious  feelings;  these 
are  the  two  things  in  the  exertions  of  Christians,  be- 
fore alluded  to,  which  are  not  included  in  attention ; 
and  these  are  the  only  two  things  comprehended  in 
the  means  of  grace  which  are  not  resolvable  into  truth 
and  the  means  of  getting  truth  before  the  mind.  The 
prayer  of  faith  certainly  obtains  divine  in^fluences  for 
ourselves  and  others ;  and  there  are  appointed  ways 
of  improving  our  graces  bij  exercise,  (for  instance,  in 
thanksgiving  and  praise,)  much  in  the  same  way  as 
you  improve  soldiers  by  exercise,  or  confirm  any  of 
your  habits  by  indulgence.  Yet  even  in  these  two 
cases,  so  far  as  the  affections  are  improved,  it  is  done 
through  the  instrumentality  of  truth.  The  sanctified 
affections  which  follow  the  prayer  of  faith  (or  "  look- 
ing^^  to  Christ,)  follow  from  transforming  views  of 
him ;  and  the  exercises  by  which  the  heart  is  improved, 
owe  their  effect  to  the  instrumentality  of  the  truths 
contemplated. 

To  these  remarks  I  may  add,  that  the  divine  Spirit, 
except  in  his  sanctifying  influence,  does  no  more  than 
carry  in  the  truth  and  lay  it  before  the  eye  of  the  mind, 
and  apply  it  to  that  individual  conscience.  For  it  has 
been  proved,  that  there  is  no  intermediate  influence 
between  an  enlightening  and  a  sanctifying  one, — 
between  that  which  addi*esses  motives  to  an  old  dis- 
position, and  that  which  creates  or  strengthens  a  new 
one.  And  even  in  his  sanctifying  influence,  so  far  as 


MEANS    OF    GRACE.  167 

the  affections  are  concerned,  the  effect  is  wrrought  by 
the  instrumentality  of  truth. 

Dropping  then  from  our  calculation  the  efficacy 
of  the  prayer  of  faith,  and  the  appointed  ways  of  im- 
proving our  graces  by  exercise,  (so  far  as  these  are 
exceptions ;)  laying  out  of  view  also  the  motions  of  the 
body,  and  the  sanctifying  influence  of  the  Spirit;  and 
all  that  is  contained  in  means  or  efforts,  human  or  di- 
vine, for  the  salvation  of  ourselves  or  others,  is  com- 
prehended in  truth  and  the  various  ways  of  presenting 
truth  to  the  mind.  Absolutely  the  whole,  as  relates 
to  the  nnregcnerate^  (except  mere  bodily  motions,)  is 
contained  in  these  two  things.  This  class  offer  no 
prayer  of  faith,  they  partake  of  no  sanctifying  influ- 
ence, they  have  no  graces  to  improve  by  exercise ; 
and  as  their  hearts  cannot  be  made  better  till  they 
are  made  new,  nothing  can  be  done  for  them  but  to 
carry  to  their  minds  a  deep  conviction  of  truth. 

Now  all  the  truth  ever  intended  for  the  salvation 
of  men,  is  contained  in  the  word  of  God.  Nothing 
new  is  revealed  by  the  Spirit.  The  exhibitions,  in  crea- 
tion and  providence,  only  confirm  and  illustrate  Bible 
truths.  The  word  may  be  regarded  as  the  epitome  of 
all  the  manifestations  of  God  to  man.  With  the  ex- 
ceptions then  already  made,  every  question  relating  to 
the  means  of  grace,  and  to  efforts,  human  or  divine, 
for  the  salvation  of  men,  may  be  reduced  to  these 
two  :  What  is  the  use  of  the  word  of  God?  and  How 
is  it  conveyed  to  the  mind?  In  attempting  to  illus- 
trate these  two  points,  I  shall  treat, 

I.  Of  the  use  of  the  word  generally; 


168  MEANS    OF    GRACE. 

II.  Of  its  use  to  the  unregenerate  in  particular ; 

III.  Of  the  means  and  influences  by  which  it  is 
conveyed  to  their  minds  ; 

IV.  Of  its  success  in  accomplishing,  as  the  text 
suggests,  every  end  which  God  designed. 

I.   Of  the  use  of  the  word  generally. 

It  has  always  been  the  received  opinion  that  the 
word  of  God  is  the  grand  instrument  of  converting 
the  world  ;  and  this  opinion  is  confirmed  by  the 
testimony  of  facts.  It  is  a  matter  of  fact,  that  where 
the  Gospel  is  preached  statedly  and  faithfully,  more 
are  converted  than  where  it  is  seldom  or  loosely 
preached.  It  is  a  matter  of  fact,  that  when  God 
intends  to  bring  men  to  salvation,  (the  only  salvation 
revealed^)  He  first  places  them  under  the  sound  of 
the  Gospel,  leads  them  to  attend  on  the  means  of 
instruction,  awakens  their  attention  to  the  truths  of 
his  word,  causes  them  ordinarily  to  be  pressed  by  the 
importunities  of  others,  —  increases  by  these  means 
their  conviction  of  truth,  and  after  all  this,  changes 
their  hearts.  It  is  a  matter  of  fact,  that  as  Christians 
grow  in  knowledge  they  grow  in  grace ;  that  as  a 
realizing  view  of  truth  increases,  their  holy  aflfections 
increase. 

We  can  see  no  instrumentality  in  truth  to  produce 
the  new  disposition.  Why  then  should  a  thing 
intervene  which  has  no  influence?  Why  not  act 
alone  without  that  idle  attendant?  These  questions 
would  be  unanswerable  if  there  was  nothing  to 
be  done  but  to  produce  the  new  disposition :  but 
there  are  views  and  affections  and  acts  of  the  will 


MEANS   OF   GRACE.  169 

and  motions  of  the    body  to   be   produced,  or   the 
disposition  is  altogether  useless.     In  the  production 
of  all  these,  both  in  their  beginning  and  in  all  the 
degrees  of  their  increase,  truth,  where  it  finds  the 
disposition  favorable,  has   the  proper  influence  of  a 
second  cause  or  instrument.      Every  consideration 
which  is  apprehended  by  the  understanding  or  felt 
by  the  heart,  every  object  of  holy  affection,  every 
motive  which  controls  the  will  and  impels  to  action, 
is  found  in  truth  alone.     This  is  the  essential  and 
immediate  instrument  by  which  all  right  views  and 
feelings,  all  correct  acts  of  choice  and   of  life   are 
produced,  and  by  which  a  rational  kingdom  is  moved 
and  governed.     If  God  is  to  preside  over  a  rational 
kingdom,  he  must  move  it  exclusively  by  the  instru- 
mentality of  motives.     To   act  without  motives  is 
to  be  a  madman  or  a  machine.     To  love  or  hate 
"v^dthout    an    object,    is    a    contradiction    in    terms. 
Should  God's  renewing  influence  pass  over  a  mind 
wholly  destitute   of   knowledge,  nothing  would  be 
felt,  no  affections  would  be  excited,  nothing  sensible 
would   follow.      Although   therefore    truth    cannot 
create  the  disposition,  nor   efficiently  cause  even  the 
affections,  there  is  good  reason  why  the  power  which 
produces  these  effects  should  always  accompany  the 
truth,  and  (the  case  of  infants  and  heathens  being 
out  of  question,)  should  never  act  without  it.    Why 
should  divine  power  produce  a  disposition  to  feel 
where  no  feelings  can  follow?  or  incline  the  heart  to 
love  where  no  object  is  found? 

There  are  good  reasons  also  why  truth  should  come 
15 


170  MEANS   OF    GRACE. 

to  men  through  the  medium  of  language^  and  in  the 
form  of  a  ■written  ivord.    It  might  have  been  commu- 
nicated  inimediatett/,  as  it  was  to  the  first  created 
angel  and  inspired  men  ;  but  in  the  display  of  truth, 
both  in  heaven  and  earth,  God  has  principally  made 
use  of  second  causes,  as  being  better  calculated  to 
furnish  the  evidence  which  is  adapted  to  the  govern- 
ment of  rational  creatures.     The  whole  system  of 
matter  is  a  system  of  second  causes,  forming  a  visi- 
ble chain  leading  into  the  secrecy  of  the  First  Cause, 
and  disclosing   an   agency  which  otherwise  might 
have  been   forever  concealed.      So  necessary  have 
those  tangible  links  been  deemed,  that  even  in  cases 
where  God  has  exerted  his  power  miraculously  and 
im?nediatel?/y  he  has   generally  made   use  of  visible 
antecedents  to  connect  the  effect  more  evidently  with 
his  own  power  ;  as  in  the  case  of  Moses'  rod,  the 
trumpets  at  Jericho,  the  pitchers  and  lamps  of  Gid- 
eon's army,  the  washing  of  Naaman  in  Jordan,  the 
extension  of  Elisha's  body  over  the    Shunammite's 
son,  the  salt  cast  into  the  fountain,  the  clay  applied 
to   the    eyes  of   the   blind    man,   and    many  other 
instances  which  might  be  mentioned.     So  instead  of 
conveying  truth  to  mankind  by  immediate  revela- 
tion, accompanied  with  silent  efforts  of  sanctifying 
power,  he  has   chosen  to   send  it   to  them  in  the 
languages  of  men,  in  the  shape  of  a  written  word, 
and  to  form   a  visible  chain  of  prophets,  apostles, 
ministers,  and   ordinances  ;   not  only  because  this 
mode  was  better  adapted  on  many  other  accounts  to 
the  purposes  of  a  moral  government,  but  that  he 


MEANS    OF    GRACE.  .  171 

might  manifest  more  distinctly  the  som-ce  of  the 
power  which  converts  the  world.  Thus  the  word 
with  which  our  Saviour  composed  the  winds  and 
healed  the  sick,  discovered  whence  the  power  pro- 
ceeded more  than  if  he  had  done  the  same  by  a  silent 
influence.  If  then  the  whole  body  of  truth  by  which 
the  heart,  the  will,  and  the  life  are  to  be  influenced, 
is  conveyed  only  through  a  written  word,  and  by  the 
ordinances  instituted  to  impress  that  word  on  the 
mind,  there  can,  in  an  ordinary  way,  be  no  holiness, 
no  salvation,  without  an  attendance  on  the  means 
of  grace. 

Now  the  word  of  God  may  be  considered  as  acting 
on  the  mind  at  three  different  stages,  namely :  before 
regeneration,  at  the  time  of  conversion,  and  in  the 
progress  of  sanetification.  By  attending  to  its  effects 
at  these  several  stages  we  shall  discover  that,  though 
the  difference  between  a  sinner  the  moment  before 
and  the  moment  after  regeneration  is  produced  by 
immediate  power,  yet  the  difference  between  a  con- 
victed sinner  and  an  established  Christian,  much  more 
between  a  heathen  and  an  established  Christian,  is  in 
a  great  measure  brought  about  by  the  instrumentality 
of  the  word.  "  How  —  shall  they  call  on  him  in 
whom  they  have  not  believed  ?  and  how  shall  they 
believe  in  him  of  whom  they  have  not  heard?  and 
how  shall  they  hear  without  a  preacher?  —  So  then 
faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word 
of  God."     (Rom.  X.  14, 17.) 

The  use  of  the  word  before  regeneration,  I  shall 
consider    under    the    second    head.       Let    us    now 


172  MEANS    OF   GRACE. 

examine  its    influence    at   the    time  of   conversion 
and  in  the  progi'ess  of  sanctification. 

At  the  time  of  conversion  the  truths  of  the  word 
are  the  instruments  of  producing  all  the  thoughts 
which  fill  the  understanding,  all  the  motions  of  the 
heart,  the  will,  and  the  body  ;  and  are  thus  the  in- 
struments of  producing  the  whole  of  that  turning' 
which  the  term  imports.  A  manifestation  of  God 
to  the  soul  is  as  much  the  insti'ument  of  producing 
love  to  God^  as  light  is  the  instrument  of  vision.  A 
manifestation  of  sin  is  equally  the  instrument  of 
-^xoduoin^  repentance ;  and  a  manifestation  of  Christy 
as  much  the  instrmnent  of  producing  faith  :  for 
without  the  presentation  of  the  objects  the  affections 
could  not  exist.  Hence,  by  a  very  significant  figure, 
the  word  of  God  is  called  "  the  sivord  of  the  Spirit,^^ 
and  is  said  to  be  "  quick  and  powerful,  and  sharper 
than  any  two-edged  sword,  piercing  even  to  the 
dividing  asunder  of  soul  and  spirit,  and  of  the 
joints  and  marrow."  (Eph.  vi.  17;  Heb.  iv.  12; 
Rev.  i.  16  and  ii.  12.)  If  your  heart  is  pierced  with 
a  sword,  you  feel  not  the  hand  which  wields  it,  but 
the  sword  only.  So  in  conversion,  the  soul  feels  not 
the  Spirit,  but  only  the  truths  of  the  word.  There 
is,  however,  this  difference  in  the  two  cases ;  in  one 
instance  the  power  is  applied  to  the  heart  to  open  a 
passage  for  the  word,  in  the  other  it  is  applied  to 
sivord  to  open  a  passage  for  itself.  But  in  both  cases 
the  instrument  alone  is  felt.  A  penetrating  sense  of 
truth,  together  with  those  affections,  determinations, 
and  actions,  which  follow  in  view  of  truth,  compre- 


MEANS   OF   GRACE.  173 

hends  the  whole  effect  of  regeneration.  Regeneration 
is  the  formation  of  the  eije^  but  light  is  necessary  for 
actual  vision.  That  conversion  is  thus  brought  about 
by  the  instrumentality  of  the  word,  is  expressly  as- 
serted :  "  The  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect,  coiiverting 
the  souiy  On  the  same  principle  they  who  preach 
the  word  are  said  to  convert  men  :  "  If  any  of  you 
do  err  from  the  truth  and  one  convert  him,  let  him 
know  that  he  which  converteth  a  sinner  from  the  error 
of  his  way,  shall  save  a  soul  from  death."  (Ps.  xix. 
7  ;  James  v.  19,  20.) 

Hitherto  I  have  made  a  distinction  between  re- 
generation and  conversion  ;  *  but  it  must  be  allowed 
that  the  former  is  sometimes  taken  in  so  broad  a 
sense  as  to  include  both ;  and  then  the  general 
change,  bearing  tfie  name  of  regeneration,  is  said  to 
be  brought  about  by  the  instrumentality  of  the  word. 
"  Of  his  own  will  bef^at  he  us  ivith  the  word  of 
truth.''^  "  Being  horn  again,  not  of  corruptible  seed, 
but  of  incoiTuptible,  b?/  the  ivord  of  God.^^  "  For  in 
Jesus  Christ  I  have  begotten  you  through  the  Gos- 
peiy  The  same  idea  is  conveyed  in  other  forms  of 
speech :  "  Is  not  my  word  as  a  fire  —  and  like  a 
hammer  that  breaketh  the  rock  in  pieces  ?  "  "  The 
words  that  I  speak  unto  you,  they  are  spirit  and 
they  are  life."     (Jer.  xxiii.  29  ;  John  vi.  62 ;  1  Cor.  iv. 

*  The  same  distinction  was  generally  made  by  the  old  Calvin- 
istic  divines.  By  regeneration  they  meant  the  implantation  of 
a  new  principle  or  disposition^  to  serve  as  the  foundation  of  new 
exercises  ;  by  conversion,  the  actual  turning  to  God  in  the  exer- 
cises which  followed. 

15* 


174  MEANS    OF   GRACE. 

1-5  ;  James  i.  18  ;  1  Pet.  i.  23.)  As  a  new  living  man 
is  a  man  with  new  feelings  and  actions,  so  by  a  new 
heart,  in  the  fullest  sense  of  that  phrase,  is  meant  a 
heart  with  new  affections.  When  men  are  commanded 
to  make  to  themselves  new  hearts,  to  circumcise  and 
purify  their  hearts,  (Deut.  x.  16  ;  Jer.  iv.  4  ;  Ezek. 
xviii.  31 ;  James  iv.  8),  nothing  more  nor  less  is  meant 
than  that  they  should  exercise  neiv  affections.  Re- 
generation, or  the  production  of  a  new  heart,  under- 
stood in  this  sense,  is  certainly  accomplished  by  the 
instrumentality  of  the  word. 

By  the  same  instrumentality  are  produced  all  the 
new  affections,  volitions,  and  actions  of  the  Christian 
in  the  progress  of  sanctification.  As  truth  becomes 
more  clearly  understood,  the  heart  acts  more  vigo- 
rously towards  it.  Thus  while  in  the  "glass"  of  the 
word  we  behold  "the  glory  of  the  Lord,"  we  "are 
changed  into  the  same  image,  from  glory  to  glory," 
(2  Cor.  iii.  18  with  1  Cor.  xiii.  12,)  much  in  the  same 
way  as  men  are  improved  by  example.  Hence  a  very 
distinct  emphasis  is  laid  on  the  word,  as  the  instru- 
ment of  sanctification  :  "  Christ  —  loved  the  church, 
and  gave  himself  for  it,  that  he  might  sanctify  and 
cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of  water  by  the  word.^^ 
"  Now  ye  are  clean  through  the  icorcl  which  I  have 
spoken  unto  you."  "  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth, 
thy  word  is  truth."  "Ye  received  it,  not  as  the  word 
of  men,  but  (as  it  is  in  truth)  the  word  of  God,  which 
effectually  ivorketh,  also,  in  you  that  believe."  Hence 
the  dispensation  of  the  word  is  compared  to  planting 
and  watering  seed  in  the  earth,  and  they  who  preach 


MEANS    OF    GRACE.  175 

it  are  called  fellow-laborers  with  God :  "I  have  planted, 
ApoUos  watered,  but  God  gave  the  increase.  —  We 
are  laborers  together  with  God ;  ye  are  God's  hus- 
bandry." (John  XV.  3  and  xvii.  17  ;  1  Cor.  iii.  6,  9  ; 
Eph.  V.  25,  26  ;    1  Thess.  ii.  13.) 

II.  I  am  to  consider  the  use  of  the  word  to  the 
unregenerate.  How  the  truth  is  instrumental  after 
the  new  disposition  is  implanted,  is  now  apparent. 
But,  it  may  be  asked,  what  is  the  use  of  communi- 
cating knowledge  before^  when  it  can  excite  no  holy 
affections,  especially  as  it  is  not  expected  to  have  any 
influence  in  altering  the  disposition  ?  Why  is  the  sin- 
ner commanded,  entreated,  and  even  convicted,  when 
it  is  known  that  none  of  the  considerations  suggested 
will  move  his  heart  ?  Why  not  reserve  the  motives 
till  the  disposition  is  renewed?  In  other  words,  why 
pour  truth  upon  the  mind  before  the  heart  is  disposed 
to  embrace  it  ?  In  reply  to  this  I  observe,  that  even 
in  cases  where  it  is  foreseen  that  the  sinner  will  re- 
sist the  light  and  perish,  this  experiment  will  illus- 
trate his  hardness  and  inexcusableness,  and  display 
the  condescension  and  mercy  of  God.  The  truths  ex- 
hibited are  only  an  appeal  of  one  who  requires  a  rea- 
sonable service,  to  the  reason  and  conscience  of  a 
moral  agent,  who  in  the  service  required  must  be 
guided  by  light,  and  must  exert  understanding,  will, 
and  affections  towards  the  identical  objects  which  the 
truths  present.  It  is  the  moral  Governor  bringing 
forward  his  just  claims,  disclosing  the  obligations  of 
the  sinner,  and  offering  him  life  on  condition  of  his 
doing  what  nothing  but  his  obstinacy  prevents.    This 


176  MEANS    OF    GRACE. 

proceeding  will  convince  the  universe  that  he  was 
the  consistent,  righteous,  moral  Governor  and  the 
merciful  Father,  and  that  the  sinner's  opposition  was 
most  unreasonable,  and  his  ruin  self-induced.  This 
public  display  of  character  and  of  principles  is  all  the 
end  that  can  be  answered  where  regeneration  does  not 
follow ;  and  this  end  will  be  answered  where  it  does 
follow.  But  in  the  latter  case  a  further  purpose  is  ac- 
complished by  the  antecedent  knowledge.  A  clear 
discernment  of  truth  before  regeneration,  prepares  the 
sinner  for  greater  humility,  love,  and  gratitude,  and 
for  more  full  acknowledgments  to  Christ  through  all 
his  future  existence.  Even  in  the  process  of  sanctift- 
cation,  it  is  God's  usual  method  by  discoveries  of  truth 
to  prepare  the  Avay  for  stronger  exercises  of  repent- 
ance and  gratitude,  before  he  excites  these  affections. 
The  only  difference  is,  in  the  present  instance  he  pre- 
pares the  way  before  he  gives  the  new  disposition. 
But  in  both  cases  the  same  reason  exists  why  con- 
viction of  truth  should  precede  the  affections.  The 
difficulty  which  has  been  raised  about  his  command- 
ing, urging,  and  entreating  sinners  to  act  before  he 
disposes  them,  will  vanish  when  the  nature  and 
sources  of  the  necessary  antecedent  knowledge  are 
considered.  What  sinners  want  is,  a  just  view  of  their 
sin  and  ruin  and  need  of  a  Saviour,  drawn,  as  it  neces- 
sarily must  be,  from  a  discovery  of  God,  his  law,  and 
the  claims  which  the  moral  Governor  has  upon  them. 
These  claims,  it  is  to  be  remembered,  are  not  weak- 
ened by  their  dependence  on  God  for  holiness,  nor  yet 
by  their  indisposition  to  obey.    If  their  indisposition 


MEANS    OF   GRACE.  177 

impaired  his  claims,  they  never  could  reasonably  be 
required  to  resist  their  inclinations,  nor  arraigned  for 
following   them ;    and  then    all   moral   government 
would  be  at  an  end.    Acting  as  moral  Governor  and 
treating  with  moral  agents,  he  makes  therefore  no 
account  of  himself  as  the  main-spring  of  motion,  but 
addresses  them,  whatever  be  their  character,  as  dis- 
tinct and  complete  agents,  and  holds  the  same  lan- 
guage with  them  that  one  man  would  hold  with 
another  whom  he  wished  to  reclaim.     There  is  no 
correct  display,  nor  even  exercise,  of  a  moral  govern- 
ment, upon  any  other  principle.     Such,  then,  are  the 
claims  of  the  moral  Governor.  Now  if  the  foundation 
of  all  just  ideas  of  guilt  lies  in  a  right  understanding 
of  these  claims,  it  is  necessary  for  the  conviction  of 
sinners  that  their   relation  to  the    moral  Governor 
should  be  laid  open ;  and  this  can  be  done  only  by 
his  coming  out  with  the  full  assertion  of  all  his  au- 
thority and  rights.     In  order  to  throw  himself  upon 
the  view  of  any  individual,  he  must  come  to  him  with 
all  his  demands  ;  and,  without  making  any  allowance 
for  dependence  or  indisposition,  must  reason  and  ex- 
postulate with  him  as  man  with  man.   The  moment 
that  the  propriety  of  this  course  is  practically  denied 
by  the  moral  Governor  himself,  his  claims  are  with- 
drawn from  the  view  of  men,  and  the  foundation  of  all 
just  conviction  is  removed.     Let  it  be  considered, 
also,  that  the  primary  and  essential  instruments  by 
which  the  moral  Governor  works  in  the  management 
of  a  rational  kingdom,  are  reason  and  7notives.     It 
behooves  him  therefore,  acting  in  this  character,  to 


178  MEANS    OF   GRACE. 

spread  before  the  sinner  all  the  motives  which  ought 
to  influence  a  rational  mind;  such  as  the  character 
of  the  Lawgiver,  the  nature  of  the  obedience  required, 
his  own  obligations  to  obey,  the  evil  of  transgression, 
and  the  sanctions  of  the  law.  This  is  the  only  proper 
way  to  treat  a  rational  being.  Thus  you  would  deal 
with  a  rebellious  servant  whom  you  wished  to  re- 
duce to  obedience.  You  would  set  before  him  the 
justice  of  your  claims,  the  evil  of  his  conduct,  and  all 
the  reasons  for  submission  which  you  could  produce. 
It  was  only  pursuing  the  same  principle  a  little  fur- 
ther, than  when  God  undertook  to  bring  back  a 
revolted  race  to  his  service,  and  to  salvation  through 
a  Redeemer,  he  not  only  exposed  to  their  view  their 
guilt,  ruin,  just  condemnation,  and  helplessness,  and 
thus  made  "the  law"  a  "schoolmaster  to  bring" 
them  "unto  Christ;"  but  laid  before  them  the  char- 
acter, offices,  and  work  of  the  Mediator,  the  terms  of 
salvation  through  him,  and  their  obligations  to  return 
in  this  appointed  way.  Such  an  exposition  of  his  char- 
acter and  government,  and  the  way  of  restoration, 
with  all  the  circumstances  of  their  case,  (made  by  a 
course  of  conduct  adapted  to  them  as  subjects  of 
moral  goYeinment,)  ftimishes  the  very  knoivledge  they 
need  to  fit  them  for  deep  repentance  and  admiring 
views  of  Christ,  and  to  bring  them  to  ascribe  all  their 
salvation  to  him  as  soon  as  their  hearts  are  renewed. 
Peculiar  advantages  are  gained  by  making  these 
discoveries  before  regeneration.  The  exhibition  of 
such  a  government  and  such  a  way  of  salvation  to 
an  opposing'  heart,  is  calculated  to  try  the  strength 


MEANS    OF    GRACE.  179 

of  that  opposition,  and  to  produce  upon  the  sinner  a 
lasting  impression  of  the  greatness  of  the  mercy  and 
power  which  redeemed  him.  The  inveteracy  of  his 
opposition  becomes  more  apparent  by  his  unavailing 
struggles  to  subdue  himself.  He  has  an  opportunity 
to  contemplate  the  wretchedness  of  his  prison,  not 
with  the  look  of  a  passing  stranger,  but  with  the 
sensations  of  a  prisoner  himself,  and  while  entertain- 
ing little  or  no  hope  of  escape,  —  to  view  his  native 
misery,  not  with  the  ken  of  an  angel,  but  in  some 
measure  with  the  experienced  eye  of  the  damned. — 
Thus  he  collects  a  deep  sense  of  many  truths,  not 
otherwise  learned,  which  he  carries  with  him  into  a 
gracious  state ;  and  they  will  help  him  to  look  back, 
through  all  eternity,  with  deeper  humility,  wonder, 
and  gratitude,  "to  the  hole  of  the  pit  whence"  he 
was  "  digged."  Thus  the  eyes  of  sinners  are  opened 
that  God  may  perform  the  great  work  of  restoration 
full  in  their  view,  and  lead  them  to  see  the  w^hole 
w^ondrous  process,  step  by  step ;  that  however  others 
may  deny  his  agency  in  this  work,  there  may  be  as 
many  witnesses  as  there  are  converted  sinners. — 
Thus  they  are  brought  to  Zion,  not  like  blind  ma- 
chines, but  like  rational  beings,  and  are  illuminated 
before  the  passage,  are  illuminated  m the  passage,  and 
are  illuminated  <7/i(er  the  passage,  that  they  may  make 
every  stage  with  then*  eyes  open,  and  see  all  that  is 
done  for  them ;  that  they  may  first  distinctly  survey 
the  dreary  scene  without  the  walls,  and  compare  it 
with  the  beauty  and  glory  within  ;  in  other  words, 
that  they  may  trace  the  workings  of  theii*  own  minds 


180  MEANS    OF   GRACE. 

before  and  after,  and  estimate  the  greatness  of  the 
change,  and  know  the  power  and  mercy  by  which  it 
was  produced, — that  entering  on  the  new  life  with 
a  deep  view  of  their  native  guilt,  ruin,  and  helpless- 
ness, they  may  begin  their  course  with  more  humil- 
ity, dependence,  and  gratitude,  with  clearer  appre- 
hensions of  the  sovereignty  of  grace,  with  higher  ad- 
miration of  all  the  provisions  of  the  Gospel,  and 
with  minds  sufficiently  enlightened  to  ascribe  all  the 
glory  of  their  salvation  to  Christ. 

The  necessity  of  some  knowledge  before  regenera- 
tion will  be  set  in  a  strong  light  by  adverting  to  the 
case  of  a  heathen  without  divine  knowledge.*  Were 
such  a  one  to  receive  a  new  heart,  it  could  be  of  no 
manner  of  use,  except  so  far  as  regards  his  feelings 
and  conduct,  very  imperfectly  regulated,  towards  his 
fellow-men.  He  cannot  love  God,  for  he  never  heard 
of  him ;  he  cannot  repent  of  sin,  for  he  has  no 
knowledge  of  the  divine  law ;  he  cannot  believe  in 
Christ,  for  he  knows  not  that  such  a  being  exists. 
Before  the  new  life  is  imparted,  a  body  of  truth  must 
be  formed  in  the  understanding,  to  prepare  the  way 
for  Christian  exercises  as  soon  as  the  heart  is  renew- 
ed. This  is  strikingly  illustrated  in  the  vision  of 
Ezekiel.  (Ezek.  xxxvii.  1 — 10.)  It  would  have  been 
to  no  purpose  to  have  imparted  life  to  the  dry  bones 
in  their  disjointed  state.  They  could  not  have  seen, 
for  they  had  no  eye ;  they  could  not  have  heard,  for 
they  had  no  ear ;   they  could   not  have  spoken,  for 

*  Whether  this  supposition  accords  with  facts  is  of  no  conse- 
quence.    The  aim  is  not  history  but  illustration. 


MEANS   OF   GRACE.  181 

they  had  no  mouth ;  they  could  not  have  moved,  for 
they  had  neither  joint  nor  muscle.  Life  would  have 
been  utterly  lost  upon  them.  Before  the  inspiration 
of  breath  the  bones  must  come  together,  bone  to  his 
bone,  the  sinews  and  flesh  must  come  upon  them, 
and  the  skin  must  cover  them  above ;  and  thus  hu- 
man bodies  must  be  organized  to  exercise  the  func- 
tions of  living  men.  A  similar  preparation  is  made 
before  the  infusion  of  life  and  breath  in  the  natural 
birth.  A  body  is  first  formed  and  fitted  to  exercise 
the  living  functions,  and  then  life  and  breath  are  in- 
spired. The  necessity  of  a  correspondent  prepara- 
tion for  the  second  birth  is  clearly  suggested  by  analo- 
gy. Or  to  vary  the  illustration,  if  you  form  a  design 
to  convert  a  dungeon  into  a  convenient  room  for 
business,  you  first  store  it  with  furniture  and  admit 
the  light.  Or  to  bring  a  case  still  more  in  point, 
God  in  the  beginning  created  the  li^ht  before  he 
formed  the  eye. 

Some  knowledge  antecedent  to  regeneration  is 
then  necessary.  And  it  must  be  more  than  barely 
sufficient  to  distinguish  a  man  from  a  heathen, — 
more  indeed  than  any  sinner  in  a  Gospel  land  will 
acquire  in  a  state  of  stupidity.  One  may  live  with 
the  Bible  in  his  hands  all  his  days  without  a  realiz- 
ing sense  of  a  single  truth,  and  with  no  understand- 
ing of  several  things  mos^.  important  to  be  known 
before  the  new  birth ;  sufch  as  the  enmity  and  stub- 
bornness of  the  heart,  his  desert  of  eternal  punish- 
ment, his  helplessness  and  perishing  need  of  a  Sav- 
iour; and  should  he  suddenly  receive  a  new  heart  in 
16 


182  MEANS    OF    GRACE. 

that  condition,  he  would  probably  never  to  the  day 
of  his  death  possess  so  deep  a  sense  of  the  native 
ruin  of  man  and  the  sovereignty  of  grace,  nor  give 
so  much  glory  to  Christ,  as  though  his  antecedent 
knowledge  had  been  greater.  He  would  be  likely, 
(especially  if  surrounded  by  people  as  ignorant  as 
himself,)  to  pass  through  life  with  very  indistinct 
:deas  of  the  Gospel  way  of  salvation,  and  never  ex- 
tend a  view  beyond  the  outlines  of  Christianity. 
Such  Christians  we  must  charitably  believe  there 
are,  —  converted  with  little  more  knowledge  than  is 
common  to  other  stupid  sinners ;  and  they  labor 
through  life  with  very  confused  ideas  of  the  ruin  and 
helplessness  of  man,  the  sovereignty  of  grace,  and 
all  the  distinguishing  doctrines  of  the  Gospel.  If 
such  are  received  as  brethren,  they  ought  to  be  con- 
tented, and  not  condemn  the  views  of  others  who 
have  been  favored  with  more  deep  and  abasing  dis- 
coveries than  themselves. 

It  is  one  of  the  established  laws  of  the  universe, 
that  creatures  should  acquire  their  knowledge  grad- 
ually, and  not  all  at  once.  It  does  not  comport  with 
this  law,  (nor  yet  with  another  by  which  it  is  fixed, 
that  our  sense  of  things  shall  be  drawn  from  ex- 
perience^) that  the  deficiency  of  antecedent  knowl- 
edge should  be  supplied  by  sudden  communications 
at  the  time  of  regeneration.  That  deep  view  of  na- 
tive guilt  and  stubbornness  which  is  necessary  to  do 
honor  to  Christ  and  sovereign  grace,  must  be  obtain- 
ed beforehand,  and  will  never  be  obtained  in  a  state 
of  stupidity.     The  sinner  must  be  awakened  and 


MEANS    OF   GRACE.  183 

convicted  for  a  considerable  time,  before  he  will 
know  enouofh  of  his  condition  and  necessities  to 
ascribe  all  the  glory  of  his  salvation  to  Christ.  And 
till  he  is  prepared  to  do  this,  in  an  ordinary  way, 
God  will  not  change  his  heart. 

This  then  is  the  preparation  which  commonly 
precedes  the  new  birth.  It  consists  entirely  in  a 
conviction  of  truths  and  of  course  is  brought  about 
by  the  immediate  instrumentality  of  the  word  and 
the  means  appointed  to  impress  that  word  on  the 
mind.  Here  the  work  of  preparation  ends.  This  is  the 
boundary  of  ail  that  can  be  done  for  unregenerate 
men.  The  preparation  does  not  improve  their  hearts. 
The  bodies  in  the  valley  of  vision  were  as  dead  after 
their  organization  as  before.  Life  was  infused  by  the 
wind  which  afterwards  breathed  through  the  valley. 
And  in  this  case  under  consideration,  "  Neither  is  he 
that  planteth  anything^  neither  he  that  watereth,  but 
God  that  giveth  the  increased  (1  Cor.  iii.  7.)  The 
ancient  dispute  between  Abraham  and  the  rich  man 
in  torment,  whether  the  most  powerful  array  of 
motives  could  change  the  heart,  has  convinced  thou- 
sands in  every  generation,  and  me  among  the  rest, 
that  they  who  for  twenty  or  thirty  years  can  with- 
stand Moses  and  the  Prophets,  would  not  "  be 
persuaded  though  one  rose  from  the  dead."  (Luke 
xvi.  19— 31.) 


LECTURE    Vlii 


SAME  SUBJECT  CONTINUED. 
ISAIAH  Iv.  11. 

so  SHALL  MY  WORD  BE  THAT  GOETH  FORTH  OUT  OF  MY 
MOUTH  ;  IT  SHALL  NOT  RETURN  UNTO  ME  VOID,  BUT  IT 
SHALL  ACCOMPLISH  THAT  WHICH  I  PLEASE,  AND  IT  SHALL 
PROSPER   IN    THE    THING    WHERETO    I    SENT    IT. 

III.  I  AM  to  treat  of  the  means  and  influences  by 
which  the  word  is  conveyed  to  the  minds  of  the 
unregenerate. 

It  is  now  ascertained  that  all  that  can  be  done  for 
the  unregenerate  by  their  own  exertions,  or  the 
efforts  of  others,  or  the  means  of  grace,  or  the  in- 
fluences of  the  Spirit,  (laying  out  of  account  the 
prayers  of  Christians  for  them,)  is  to  set  home  upon 
their  minds  the  truths  of  the  word.  The  question 
then  arises,  how  far  are  these  several  agents  and 
instruments  9oncerned  in  this  effect,  and  what  pro- 
portion of  the  effect  is  ascribable  to  a  natural  and 
what  to  a  supernatural  operation  ?     It  is  important 


MEANS    OF   GRACE.  185 

to  know  how  to  estimate  both  our  dependence  on 
God  and  the  value  of  the  means  of  grace ;  to  ascer- 
tam,  on  the  one  hand,  how  far  we  are  beholden  to  a 
supernatural  influence,  and  to  what  extent  that  in- 
fluence coincides  with  the  course  of  nature  and  en- 
com*ages  human  exertions  ;  and  on  the  other  hand, 
how  far  means  and  human  efforts  are  available,  and 
which  of  the  exertions  of  men,  and  of  the  means 
within  their  reach  have  the  fairest  chance  for  success. 
But  let  us  not  lose  sight  of  the  effect  about  which 
we  are  inquu'ing.  It  is  not  regeneiiation  nor  con- 
version, but  simply  the  conviction  of  the  unregen- 
crate. 

This  effect    is    partly  natural    and  partly   super- 
natural.*     The    supernatural  influence,  though  not 

*  It  is  denied  by  some  that  the  convictions  of  the  Spirit  ante- 
rior to  regeneration  are  supernatural.  But  if  they  are  natural, 
they  are  brought  about  by  no  other  power  than  uniformly  attends 
the  course  of  nature,  that  is,  without  any  special  interposition  of 
God.  But  the  sudden  and  powerful  impression  of  divine  truth 
upon  a  mind  which  for  twenty  years  has  been  fortified  by  unbe- 
lief, without  any  visible  cause  of  the  change,  certainly  cannot  be 
accounted  for  in  this  way,  any  more  than  regeneration  itself.  If 
the  power  wliich  produces  conviction  acts  otherwise  than  uni- 
formly through  a  series  of  natural  causes,  it  is  as  well  entitled  to  be 
called  supernatural  as  tliat  which  produces  holiness.  What  other 
definition  of  supernatural  can  be  conceived  ?  If  the  objection 
is  to  prevail,  all  that  unregenerate  anxiety  which  appears  in  a  re- 
vival of  religion,  no  more  indicates  the  special  presence  and 
power  of  God,  than  an  epidemic  or  a  thunder  storm,  and  great  as 
it  may  be,  produces  by  itself,  no  manner  of  certainty,  and  scarcely 
a  presumption,  that  one  of  the  whole  mass  will  be  converted. 
16* 


186  MEANS   OF    GRACE. 

SO  regular  in  its  operation  as  to  reduce  it  to  one  of 
the  laws  of  nature,  is  so  far  stated  and  coincident 
with  the  natural  order  as  gi-eatly  to  encourage  human 
exertion.  In  illustrating  these  ideas,  we  shall  have 
an  opportunity  to  contemplate  the  vast  importance 
of  the  means  and  efforts  which  God  has  appointed 
for  man. 

1.  The  effect  is  partly  natural.  This  at  once  brings 
back  the  question,  how  far  the  exertions  of  the  unre- 
generate  themselves,  and  the  efforts  of  others  for  them, 
and  the  mean^  of  gi'ace,  are  concerned  in  conveying 
truth  to  their  minds  in  a  natural  way.  Now  it  is 
manifest  that  all  the  ordinances  of  religion  address 
truth  directly  to  their  eyes  or  ears,  in  a  manner  per- 
fectly natural.  The  dispensations  of  Providence  sug- 
gest truth  to  their  minds  in  the  same  direct  way,  or 
by  means  of  the  association  of  ideas.  The  expositions 
and  exhortations  of  others,  lay  before  them  the  in- 
structions and  motives  contained  in  truth.  Their 
own  exertions  (except  the  mere  motions  of  the  body) 
are  all  comprehended  in  the  single  word  attention^ — 
attention  to  truth  and  to  the  means  appointed  to  con- 
vey truth  to  the  mind.  There  is  such  a  thing  as  an 
effort  of  the  mind  to  fix  its  eye  on  truth,  much  like  1he 
effort  of  the  natural  eye  to  adjust  itself  to  an  object, 
and  to  pry,  if  the  object  is  indistinct.  Without  this 
effort  of  its  own,  all  the  exertions  of  others  to  bring 
truth  before  it  are  in  vain.  A  thousand  objects  may 
be  presented,  but  if  the  mind  shuts  its  eye,  or  turns 
it  another  way,  it  is  all  to  no  purpose.  It  must  attend 
for  itself,  or  it  will  never  see.    Even  the  influence  of 


MEANS    OF   GRACE.  187 

the  Spirit,  (such  influence,  I  mean,  as  is  afforded  to 
the  um-egenerate,)  if  it  could  be  exerted  without  fixing 
the  attention,  would  infuse  no  light,  would  produce 
no  effect.  Every  ray  of  light  must  enter  through  the 
eye  of  the  mind  ;  and,  except  flashes  sometimes  pro- 
duced by  more  immediate  power,  must  enter  while 
the  eye  is  purposely  directed  towards  the  object. 

Thus  far  the  process  is  altogether  natural ;  and, 
according  to  the  laws  of  nature,  the  effect  would  be 
proportionate  to  the  human  exertions,  within  and 
without,  and  greater  or  less  according  to  the  channels 
through  which  the  truth  was  conveyed,  and  to  the 
means  employed  to  propel  it  through.  There  are  dif- 
ferent channels  by  which  natin'al  truths  are  car- 
ried to  the  mind  with  different  degrees  of  clearness, 
such  as  the  external  senses,  the  passions,  the  imagi- 
nation, etc.  There  are  different  outward  means  by 
which  natural  truths  are  propelled  through  these 
channels  with  different  degrees  of  force,  such  as  the 
instructive  discourses  and  passionate  addresses  of 
others,  including  their  tones,  gestures,  etc.  But  the 
same  instruments  and  channels  hy  \Yhic\i  natural ixuih. 
is  conveyed  to  the  mind  with  different  degrees  of  force, 
will  serve  for  the  conveyance  of  spiritual  truth  with 
force  in  corresponding  proportions,  though  weakened 
in  all  its  degrees  by  the  resistance  which  it  meets 
w^ithhi.  Again,  it  is  a  law  of  nature  that  when  the 
mind  turns  its  own  attention  to  natural  truth  it  dis- 
covers it,  and  with  a  degree  of  clearness  proportioned 
to  the  intenseness  of  its  application.    By  a  process 


188  MEANS    OF    GRACE. 

equally  natural  it  may  discover  divine  truth,  with  a 
distinctness  proportionate  to  the  degree  of  its  atten- 
tion, except  so  far  as  its  vision  is  perverted  by  preju- 
dice,—  allowing  also  that  the  views  accompanying 
every  degree  of  attention  will  be  gi'eatly  obscured  by 
unbelief.  Now  the  mind  is  capable  of  different  de- 
grees of  attention,  from  what  may  be  called  simple 
reflection,  up  through  the  ascending  grades  of  medi- 
tation, study,  and  that  agonizing  reach  of  soul  which 
is  put  forth  in  prayer.  In  no  other  sense  than  as 
being  the  highest  degree  of  attention  to  truths  are  the 
prayers  of  the  unregenerate  of  any  use.  But  as  such, 
when  the  mind  is  serious  in  the  effort,  they  are  of  all 
means  the  most  powerful  to  impress  truth  upon  the 
conscience, — those  truths  in  particular  which  the  soul 
struggles  most  to  apprehend  in  prayer,  for  instance, 
those  which  respect  the  character  of  God,  his  rela- 
tions to  us,  the  vileness,  danger,  and  ruin  of  the  sin- 
ner, and  his  helplessness,  made  more  and  more  appa- 
rent by  every  struggle  to  subdue  himself  and  prevail 
with  God.  That  divine  truth  should  be  apprehended 
in  proportion  to  these  several  degrees  of  attention, 
when  ignorance  or  special  prejudice  does  not  prevent, 
is  altogether  according  to  the  laws  of  nature.  Fur- 
ther, so  far  as  the  attention  is  turned  to  divine  things 
by  the  mere  influence  of  the  means  of  grace,  or  the 
exertions  of  others,  or  any  of  those  causes  w^hich  act 
on  the  body  and  induce  melancholy,  as  sickness,  afllic- 
tion,  evening,  autumn,  etc.,  it  is  a  natural  effect. 
Also  the  dinxioM^  feelings  of  the  sinner,  which  follow 


MEANS    OF   GRACE.  189 

in  view  of  trath,  appear  to  be  as  much  a  natural 
effect,  (allowing  the  truth  to  be  first  set  home,)  as 
the  sensation  produced  by  the  touch  of  fire.  But, 
2.  After  natural  causes  have  spent  their  force,  the 
attention  is  by  no  means  sufficiently  roused,  nor 
the  truth  sufficiently  apprehended,  to  answer  the 
purpose.  There  is  occasion  for  the  interposition  of 
supernatural  power.  It  was  not  the  voice  of  Eze- 
kiel,  but  the  power  of  God  which  organized  the 
bodies  in  the  valley ;  and  it  is  the  office  work  of  the 
IIolij  Spirit  to  "  convince  the  ivorlcl  of  sin^  (John 
xvi.  8.)  This  supernatural  influence  answers  three 
ends.  First,  to  bring  truth  into  view  without  the 
direct  aid  of  means.  Awakening  thoughts  are  often 
shot  into  the  mind  in  a  way  not  to  be  accounted  for 
on  the  principle  of  association,  nor  from  any  of  the 
known  laws  of  nature.  Secondly,  to  disclose  the 
sinner's  heart  to  his  own  view,  and  thus  induce  a 
self-application  of  the  truths  which  come  in  from  the 
word.  But  the  principal  end  is, — thirdly,  to  counter- 
act that  unbelief  which  blinds  the  mind  and  prevents 
a  realizing  sense  of  truth.  This  particular  act  of 
God,  to  which  I  intend  to  confine  my  attention, 
brings  no  truth  before  the  mind,  but  only  causes 
what  is  already  there  to  be  realized.  How  this  is 
done  we  can  by  no  means  explain.  How  a  truth 
which  already  lies  before  the  understanding  is  made 
to  be  more  deeply  realized,  by  an  influence  which 
makes  no  alteration  in  the  temper  of  the  heart,  we 
can  no  more  conceive  than  how  disembodied  spirits 
communicate   their  thoughts  to  each   other.      But 


190  MEANS    OF   GRACE. 

it  appears  to  be  something  entirely  different  from 
merely  fixing  the  attention.  The  attention  is  often 
closely  fixed  while  no  realizing  sense  of  truth  is 
obtained.  All  we  can  say  is,  it  is  an  operation  which 
counteracts  the  blindness  of  unbelief  and  increases 
the  liveliness  of  speculative  faith.  Were  it  not  for 
this  influence,  in  its  more  imperceptible  operations, 
unbelief  would  probably  so  blind  the  mind  as  to 
produce  a  total  neglect  of  the  means  of  gi'ace,  and 
truth  would  not  be  sufficiently  realized  to  turn  the 
attention  to  divine  subjects,  and  give  opportunity 
for  the  natural  causes  which  have  been  mentioned 
to  operate.  Unbelief  would  so  strongly  guard  the 
avenues  to  the  soul,  that  ordinances,  dispensations 
of  providence,  and  human  eloquence,  (which  can  now 
send  in  divine  truth  by  a  natural  process,)  would 
have  no  effect.  And  should  this  divine  influence, 
combined  with  natural  causes,  produce  as  much 
belief  and  attention  as  can  be  found  in  the  most 
decent  of  the  unaioakened^  and  go  no  further,  the 
man  would  die  grossly  ignorant  of  many  things 
important  to  be  known  before  regeneration. 

This  operation  which  causes  truth  to  be  realized, 
is  wholly  the  work  of  God,  to  which  no  means  or 
human  exertions  from  without  can  reach  a  helping 
hand.  And  that  his  agency  may  be  the  more  mani- 
fest, he  does  not  always  cause  the  mind  to  realize 
what  is  laid  before  it,  even  w^hen  its  attention  is 
highly  excited.     Still, 

3.  This  operation  is  so  far  stated  as  to  accommo- 
date itself  to   the  nature  of   man  and   encourage 


MEANS    OF   GRACE.  191 

human  exertions.  When  motives  are  presented  and 
pressed  upon  the  mind  by  ministers  and  Christians, 
that  is  the  time  which  the  Spirit  ordinarily  takes 
to  carry  them  home  to  the  conscience.  Millions  of 
instances,  amounting  to  general  experience,  and  pro- 
ducing an  ordinary  calculation,  attest  this.  Such  an 
order  seems  established,  not  only  that  by  encouraging 
human  instrumentality  the  best  affections  of  the 
heart  may  be  called  forth  ;  not  only  that  the  light 
which  comes  from  God  accompanied  with  effects  so 
glorious,  may  disclose  its  source  by  being  conveyed 
to  the  mind  through  visible  conductors ;  but  that 
men  as  moral  agents  may  be  wrought  upon  in  a 
way  conformable  to  their  nature,  —  in  a  way  as 
nearly  coincident  as  possible  with  the  natural  order. 
And  it  does  in  fact  very  nearly  coincide  with  that. 
When  truths,  naturally  adapted  to  interest  the  exist- 
ing feelings  of  the  heart,  are  urged  by  others,  it  is  a 
law  of  nature  that  the  feelings  should  be  interested 
by  them.  In  the  present  case  unbelief  keeps  them 
out,  and  prevents  what  otherwise  would  be  a  natural 
effect.  It  is  only  necessary  that  divine  power  should 
counteract  this  unbelief,  and  then  the  word  and 
ordinances  and  dispensations  of  God  and  the  appeals 
of  sacred  eloquence  will  naturally  move  the  soul. 
God  really  carries  sinners  through  the  whole  course 
of  conviction  by  the  power  of  motives,  as  in  every 
instance  of  moral  suasion,  except  that  he  counteracts 
that  unbelief,  and  so  lets  the  motives  in  full  upon 
their  minds,  leaving  them  then  to  produce  their 
natural  effect.     But  it  is  moral  suasion  still.     It  is 


192  MEANS   OF   GRACE. 

God  speaking  inwardly  to  the  mind.  Not  leaving 
the  motives  where  they  dropped  from  the  lips  of  hu- 
man eloquence,  he  carries  them  in  and  lays  them 
before  the  eye  of  the  soul,  and  becomes  himself  the 
preacher  to  a  new  sense.  It  is  still  nothing  but  truih 
addressed  to  the  mind,  as  in  every  instance  of  moral 
suasion.  The  only  difference  is,  that  in  one  case  he 
gives  efficacy  to  truth  by  the  natural  operations  of  his 
power,  in  a  way  altogether  stated ;  in  the  other,  by 
the  supernatural,  and  in  a  less  stated  manner.  But 
even  in  that  which  is  less  stated,  he  acts  very  much 
in  a  line  with  nature,  entering  the  mind  by  the  ordi- 
nary avenues,  and  pressing  natural  causes  into  co- 
operation ;  so  that,  to  an  observer,  the  whole  appears, 
often,  like  a  natural  effect.  Thus,  when  the  mind  is 
softened  by  affliction,  or  put  in  a  frame  for  serious 
reflection  by  causes  operating  on  the  body,  or  by  a 
view  of  danger,  that  is  the  time  when  it  is  most  likely 
to  come  under  those  impressions  which,  but  for  un- 
belief, would  have  been  a  natural  effect.  It  is  upon 
the  same  principle  that  the  operations  of  gi'ace,  after 
conversion^  are  regulated  so  much  by  the  peculiari- 
ties of  different  constitutions.  Grace  sets  the  man  in 
motion  as  nature  made  him,  only  in  pursuit  of  a  new 
object.  Ardent  men  make  ardent  Christians,  and 
timid  men  make  fearful  Christians. 

Upon  the  same  principle,  the  particular  kinds  of 
address  which  would  be  best  calculated  to  impress 
the  mind  were  there  no  unbelief,  and  therefore  no 
need  of  supernatural  interposition,  is  now  best  calcu- 
lated to  impress  it.     God  more  generally  causes  the 


MEANS   OF    GRACE.  193 

impression  which  depends  on  his  agency  to  bear 
much  the  same  proportion  to  the  natural  poiver  of  means 
as  though  it  were  a  natural  eftect.  Thus  a  pungent 
exhortation  is  likely  to  make  deeper  impressions  than 
a  frigid  exposition.  The  manner  best  calculated  to 
persuade  a  reasonable  man  to  do  you  a  favor,  is  best 
calculated  to  prevail  on  him  to  be  a  Christian.  When 
the  parent  sits  down  in  earnest  to  press  the  conscience 
of  his  child,  and  feels  that  he  cannot  let  him  go,  he 
is  very  likely  to  succeed.  These  things  are  so  ordered, 
among  other  reasons,  to  encourage  us  to  put  every 
wheel  of  nature  in  motion  for  the  salvation  of  men 
which  would  promise  to  be  successful  if  that  salva- 
tion were  a  natural  effect.  Were  we  not  encouraged 
to  make  these  exertions,  we  could  make  none  at  all, 
except  merely  by  prayer ;  for  all  our  other  means 
and  all  our  powers  lie  within  the  boundaries  of  nature. 
We  cannot  reach  beyond,  nor  move  a  step  but  by  her 
laws.  Yet  all  these  means  and  efforts  prove  unavail- 
ing in  instances  enough  to  convince  us  of  our  abso- 
lute dependence  on  supernatural  power. 

Thus  far  I  have  applied  the  principle  to  the  exer- 
tions of  men  for  the  conviction  of  others ;  but  the 
coincidence  of  the  supernatural  with  the  natural  or- 
der will  more  clearly  appear  from  the  use  that  is  made 
of  the  sinner's  own  agency.  God  carries  on  the  work 
of  conviction  (so  far  as  he  is  pleased  to  advance  it) 
through  the  sinner's  own  attention,  pouring  light 
through  the  eye  of  the  mind  as  it  is  eagerly  held  to- 
wards the  truth,  and  making  the  effect  to  depend  on 
that  attention  as  really  as  in  any  other  case.  To  go 
17 


194  MEANS   OF   GRACE. 

back  to  the  beginning :  the  mind  of  the  stupid  sin- 
ner always  has  an  eye  open,  however  vacantly  it  may 
gaze  ;  and  truth,  in  the  first  instance,  is  brought  and 
laid  before  it  by  divine  or  human  agency  without 
any  effort  of  its  own.  At  that  moment  God  gives, 
or  fails  to  give,  a  realizing  view.  If  the  view  is  not 
sufficiently  distinct  to  fix  the  attention,  and  the  mind 
turns  its  eye  away,  or  fails  to  adjust  it  to  the  object, 
the  view  will  be  gone,  or  continue  very  indistinct 
and  only  for  a  short  time.  All  the  efforts  from  with- 
out, whether  of  God  or  man,  do  no  more  than  present 
objects  of  attention,  and  urge  motives  to  stimulate 
attention,  and  cause  realizing  vieivs  to  accompany 
attention.  But  if  the  attention  is  not  fixed,  the  effect 
ceases.  The  mind  must  see  for  itself  or  it  will  not 
perceive ;  and  it  cannot  see  the  object  while  the  eye 
is  turned  another  way.  The  sinner  must  attend  to 
what,  in  the  first  instance,  is  laid  before  him  ;  and, 
und^  the  excitement  of  that  motive,  must  put  him- 
self in  the  way  to  see  more ;  and,  as  new  truth  is 
presented,  must  fix  his  eye  eagerly  on  that ;  and, 
stimulated  by  the  new  motives  thus  discovered,  must 
bend  a  still  more  earnest  attention  to  the  subject; 
and  so  on,  in  a  series  of  increasing  efforts ;  or,  ac- 
cording to  God's  ordinary  mode  of  operation,  he  will 
never  be  convicted. 

All  this  time  the  hand  of  God  is  behind  him, 
effectually  urging  him  forward  by  a  clear  display 
of  motives  :  and  it  is  before  him,  pouring  new 
light  through  the  eye  as  it  gazes.  The  first  realiziug 
view  which  fixes  the  attention  is  from  God.     As  the 


MEANS    OF   GKACE.  195 

attention  is  thus  turned  to  truth,  and  by  a  natural  pro- 
cess obtains  clearer  knowledge,  the  supernatural  in- 
fluence, counteracting  the  blindness  of  unbelief,  gives 
a  still  more  realizing  view.  The  attention,  thus  sharp- 
ened, gazes  with  greater  eagerness,  and  the  accom- 
panying influence  continues  to  give  realizing  views  of 
what  the  mind  by  its  own  effort  indistinctly  discovers. 
And  more  generally  the  realizing  sense,  in  every  step 
of  the  progress,  is  in  proportion  to  the  degree  of  atten- 
tion which  immediately  preceded.  Not  always  how- 
ever. There  are  exceptions  enough  to  convince  the 
mind  of  its  absolute  dependence  on  supernatural 
power,  —  a  sense  which  goes  in  to  constitute  an 
essential  part  of  the  conviction  desired.  Thus,  by 
its  very  failures  the  attention  helps  forward  with 
the  work.  So  by  its  failure  to  conquer  the  heart, 
and  bribe  God  by  self-righteousness,  it  brings  an 
increased  sense  of  the  stubbornness  of  the  heart  and 
the  need  of  a  Saviour.  But  it  advances  the  work 
chiefly  by  its  success,  the  view  following  the  eflbrt 
to  see,  as  though  it  were  a  natural  effect.  "While  the 
mind  strives  to  see,  it  sees  ;  while  it  gazes  with 
increased  eagerness,  it  sees  more  and  more.  Through 
the  sinner's  own  exertions  to  frequent  places  where 
truth  is  displayed,  —  through  his  prying  efforts  to 
see  the  object  ifl  the  clearest  light,  to  catch  its  exact 
lines  and  colors, — through  the  deep  attention  which 
he  pays  to  his  own  wretched  character  and  wi'ctched 
case,  the  work  of  illumination  and  conviction  is 
carried  on.  The  sinner's  agency,  though  not  em- 
ployed in  regeneration,  is  greatly  employed  here.    It 


196  MEANS   OF   GRACE. 

is  as  much  employed  in  the  progress  of  conviction, 
(so  far  as  God  is  pleased  to  carry  on  the  work,)  as 
the  agency  of  the  Christian  in  the  progress  of  sancti- 
fication,  —  with  these  points  of  difference  however  : 
the  Christian  has  a  promise  and  certainty  that  his 
agency  shall  succeed,  the  sinner  has  no  promise  or 
certainty  at  all ;  the  Christian's  agency  is  holy,  and 
connected  with  a  holy  result ;  the  sinner's  agency  is 
unholy,  and  connected  with  no  other  result  than  a 
conviction  of  truth.  But  the  two  cases  agree  in 
these  three  respects :  in  neither  is  the  human  agency 
the  efncient  cause  ;  in  neither  can  the  effect  follow 
without  that  agency  ;  in  both,  that  agency  has  a 
somewhat  stated,  (much  resembling  a  natural,) 
tendency,  by  the  accompanying  influence  of  God, 
to  produce  the  effect.  These  three  ideas  are  perfectly 
displayed  in  a  single  case  :  Sampson  must  hoio  him- 
self  luith  all  his  might  to  remove  the  pillars  of  the 
house,  though  the  house  fell  by  supernatural  power. 
The  power  acting  thus  through  his  will  and  agency, 
gave  every  appearance  of  a  natural  effect.  Thus 
God  works  "  all  our  works  in  us."  We  "  labor, 
striving  according  to  his  working  which  worketh  in'* 
us  "  mightily."  While  ice  "  work  out"  our  "  own 
salvation,"  it  is  he  that  "worketh  in"  us  "to  will 
and  to  do."  (Isai.  xxvi.  12 ;  Phil.  M.  12,  13  ;  Col. 
i.  29.) 

IV.  I  am  to  treat  of  the  success  of  the  word  in 
accomplishing,  as  the  text  suggests,  every  end  which 
God  designed. 

That  men  are  convicted  who  are  never  converted, 


MEANS    or    GRACE.  197 

facts  abundantly  testify.  That  they  return  to  sin 
from  every  stage  of  conviction,  is  equally  evident. 
In  many  instances  they  "  quench  —  the  Spirit"  and 
fall  away,  after  having  been  "  enlightened"  and 
"  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift"  and  been  "  made  par- 
takers of  the  Holy  Ghost"  and  "  tasted  of  the  good 
word  of  God  and  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come." 
(Heb.  vi.  4 — 8.)  That  God  should  begin  a  work  of 
conviction  upon  the  non-elect,  is  no  more  unaccounta- 
ble than  that  he  should  send  them  the  Gospel.  The 
design  in  both  cases  is  doubtless  the  same.  But  the 
question  is,  does  his  power  secure  the  conviction  of 
as  nrany  as  he  pleases,  and  as  far  as  he  pleases  ?  Or 
is  the  event  left  contingent?  I  shall  assume  that 
the  work  is  carried  on  through  the  sinner's  own  at- 
tention, that  if  his  eye  is  not  kept  anxiously  turned 
toward  the  truth  with  a  strong  effort  to  see,  the 
whole  effect  will  fail.  The  question  then  is,  will 
God  certainly  keep  up  that  attention  as  far  as  he 
pleases  ?  And  how  can  he  keep  it  up  in  spite  of  all 
resistance,  (without  altering  the  disposition  or  weak- 
ening the  resistance,)  and  yet  leave  the  sinner  free  ? 
In  this  place  it  is  necessary  to  introduce  more  dis- 
tinctly the  doctrine  of  motives.  Either  we  must 
admit  the  self-determining  power  of  the  will,  holding 
in  its  hand  the  decision  whether  to  yield,  or  not  to 
yield  to  motives,  or  we  must  believe  that  the  will  is 
absolutely  g-overned  by  motives.  The  latter  is  un- 
questionably the  truth,  and  common  sense,  instructed 
by  experience,  pronounces  it  true  every  hour  of  the 
day.  Common  sense,  delivered  from  the  labyrinths 
17* 


198  MEANS    OF    GRACE. 

of  metaphysics,  pronounces  that  men  always  yield  to 
the  strongest  inducement,  and  yet  are  free.  Upon 
this  principle  you  are  constantly  calculating  the 
future  conduct  of  men.  You  feel  a  perfect  confi- 
dence that  if  you  offer  a  miser  a  bag  of  money  to 
induce  him  to  walk  a  mile,  and  no  stronger  motive 
draws  the  other  way,  he  will  comply ;  and  yet  you 
never  dreamed  that  he  would  not  be  free.  The 
whole  business  of  the  commercial  world  is  conducted 
upon  the  same  calculation,  and  so  is  the  whole 
system  of  social  intercourse.  Break  up  the  uniform- 
ity of  this  principle,  and  leave  it  wholly  uncertain 
whether  a  father  will  move  to  snatch  a  child  from,  the 
fire,  whether  the  friend  who  meets  you  in  the  street 
will  be  restrained  by  a  thousand  motives  from  taking 
your  life ;  and  all  the  foundations  of  order  and 
rational  action  are  removed,  and  the  world  is  trans- 
formed into  one  vast  bedlam,  —  a  bedlam  in  which 
the  maniacs  are  as  likely  to  kill  a  friend  to  gain  a 
feather  as  to  win  a  crown,  —  as  likely  to  kill  a  friend 
without  motives,  and  in  full  opposition  to  all  motives, 
as  to  hart  an  enemy  when  most  highly  induced.  This 
is  a  new  species  of  madmen,  a  world  of  madmen 
moving  in  a  maze  without  a  particle  of  reflection, 
without  any  end  or  object  even  floating  in  a  dis- 
tempered fancy.  Such  a  self-moving'  tinll,  unhar- 
nessed from  reason,  and  let  loose  into  the  world, 
would  be  more  to  be  dreaded  than  wolves  and  tigers. 
In  short,  there  can  be  no  rational  action  a  whit 
further  than  the  will  is  absolutely  controlled  by  mo- 
tives ;  that  is  to  say,  a  whit  further  than  it  has  a 


MEANS   OP   GRACE.  199 

reason  for  its  decisions,  and  is  governed  by  the  con- 
siderations which  appear  strongest  and  best. 

The  world  then  is  governed  by  motives.  Of  course 
it  is  easy  with  God,  without  in  the  least  altering  the 
disposition,  to  exert  a  perfect  control  over  all  the 
volitions  of  men  by  only  spreading  for  them  a  proper 
train  of  motives.  To  recur  now  to  the  question  :  it 
is  only  for  God  to  display  truth  before  the  minds  of 
sinners,  with  so  much  clearness  as  to  create  a  motive 
to  attention  stronger  than  every  opposite  motive,  and 
the  attention  is  secured.  So  long  as  he  continues  to 
exert  such  an  influence  the  attention  will  be  kept 
alive,  and  exactly  in  proportion  to  the  clearness  and 
strength  of  the  motives  presented.  The  motives 
cannot,  indeed,  act  upon  any  other  than  natural 
principles,  for  none  else  exist.  The  sinner  will  not 
follow  them  to  the  end  to  which  they  invite,  namely, 
to  holiness  ;  but  he  will  be  sure  to  follow  where 
apparent  interest  calls,  and  of  course  to  those  efforts 
after  deliverance  which  will  fix  his  eye  attentively 
upon  divine  truth.  Whom  therefore  God  chooses 
to  convict  he  will  convict,  and  just  as  far  as  he 
pleases,  and  that  through  their  own  voluntary 
attention. 

It  may  then  be  asked,  how  far  have  sinners  the 
poiver  to  prevent  the  effect  ?  The  answer  is,  they 
have  complete  natural  power  to  prevent,  as  in  every 
other  case  where  their  agency  is  necessary  to  the 
issue.  This  ability,  however,  lies  not  in  the  self- 
determining  power  of  the  will,  but  in  a  power  to 
execute  any  opposite  decree  which  the  will  should 


200  MEANS    OF    GRACE. 

issue  ;  in  other  words,  in  a  power  to  turn  away  the 
attention  if  they  are  so  disposed.  This  case  is 
materially  different  from  that  of  regeneration,  where 
the  effect  is  wrought  without  their  agency.  In  this 
case  they  have  as  much  power  to  turn  away  their 
attention,  and  thus  arrest  the  progress  of  conviction, 
as  they  have  to  stop  in  a  journey  when  the  stronger 
motive  impels  them  forward ;  as  they  have  to  sit  still 
when  the  stronger  motive  solicits  them  to  walk  ;  as 
they  have  to  refuse  an  invitation  to  a  feast  when 
urged  and  entreated  by  a  friend.  If  the  motive 
which  incites  them  to  divine  contemplations  is  not 
at  first  strong  enough  to  countervail  all  others,  God 
will,  indeed,  if  he  is  determined  on  success,  press 
them  with  stronger  inducements  till  he  prevails.  But 
the  whole  process  is  still  of  the  nature  of  moral 
suasion.  There  is  no  more  compulsion  in  the  case, 
than  in  all  the  common  actions  of  life  ;  for  all  our 
actions  are  equally  governed  by  motives.  Nor  is 
this  particular  case  at  all  different  from  the  rest, 
except  that  the  motives  are  more  solemn  and  are 
made  clear  to  the  mind,  by  supernatural  power. 
In  a  word,  the  sinner  is  as  free  to  turn  away,  and 
thus  stop  the  progress  of  conviction,  and  by  this 
means  prevent  regeneration,  as  he  is  to  do  any  other 
thing;  but  it  is  certain  that  he  ivill  not  turn  away 
if  God  continues  to  set  sufficient  motives  clearly 
before  him. 


MEANS   OF   GRACE.  201 


INFERENCES. 

1.  We  see  the  good  tendency  and  absolute  need 
of  the  sinner's  own  attention  to  the  word  of  God 
and  the  means  of  grace,  —  of  his  agonizing  exer- 
tions to  understand  and  gain  realizing  views  of  re- 
vealed truth.  These  exertions  do  not  indeed  tend  to 
change  his  heart ;  but  if  they  are  earnest  and  solemn, 
and  guided  by  judicious  instructions,  they  do  tend, 
(such  is  the  common  mode  of  divine  operation,)  to 
advance  the  work  of  conviction,  and  very  much  in 
proportion  to  their  strength.  The  agonizing  reach 
to  apprehend  divine  things  which  is  made  in  prayer, 
has  a  better  tendency  than  meditation ;  meditation 
has  a  better  tendency  than  bare  attention  ;  and  the 
slightest  attention  of  mind  has  a  better  tendency 
than  a  vacant  attendance  on  means.  An  attendance 
on  means  with  an  idle,  wandering  mind,  has  scarce- 
ly any  tendency  at  all  to  bring  home  a  realizing  sense 
of  truth.  There  is  no  such  spell  in  ordinances  to 
convict  a  mind  that  is  roving  in  the  ends  of  the 
earth.  There  ought  to  be  as  strong  an  effort  to 
realize  divine  things  as  to  extinguish  the  flames 
which  are  kindling  on  your  house,  —  as  to  support  a 
rock  that  must  crush  you  in  its  fall.  There  is  no 
more  need  of  strong  efforts  in  these  cases  than  in 
that ;  and  without  exertions  approaching  to  this  char- 
acter there  is  absolutely  no  prospect  of  the  sinner's 
salvation.  To  sit  still  without  an  effort,  is  nothing 
less  than  putting  the  pistol  to  his  own  breast.  To 
neglect  the  means   of  grace,  or  to  attend  on  them 


202  MEANS    OF   GRACE. 

without  a  struggle  to  realize  divine  things,  is  as  di- 
rect a  way  to  destroy  the  soul,  (according  to  God's 
usual  mode  of  operation,)  as  abstinence  from  food 
to  destroy  the  body.  The  only  difference  is,  that 
now  and  then  a  sinner  is  converted  in  an  extraordi- 
nary way  without  the  usual  means. 

Say  not,  then,  that  if  you  are  elected  to  be  saved 
you  shall  be  saved,  whether  you  make  exertions  or 
not.  There  is  no  such  decree  that  prevents  the  ab- 
solute dependence  of  the  end  on  the  appointed 
means.  Had  not  Naaman  washed  in  Jordan,  no  de- 
cree would  have  healed  the  leper.  Had  not  the 
blind  men  sat  by  the  way-side,  no  decree  would 
have  opened  their  eyes.  Had  not  the  impotent  man 
lain  by  the  pool,  no  decree  would  have  made  him 
whole.  Had  not  the  bones  been  within  the  reach 
of  Ezekiel's  voice,  no  bodies  would  have  been  or- 
ganized. Had  the  parts  failed  to  come  together, 
"  bone  to  his  bone,"  no  life  would  have  been  infused. 
Or  to  illustrate  the  idea  by  a  case  still  more  in  point, 
if  a  man  does  not  open  his  eyes  he  will  not  see.  If 
he  does  not  turn  his  eyes  towards  the  object,  and  pry 
if  it  is  obscure,  he  will  not  see  it  clearly.  Now  if  it  is 
decreed  that  this  view  of  the  object  shall  be  distinct, 
it  is  decreed  that  these  previous  steps  shall  be  taken, 
and  the  end  is  no  more  certain  than  the  means,  and 
will  certainly  fail  if  they  fail.  If  it  is  certain  that  a 
farmer  will  have  a  crop,  it  is  certain  that  he  will  sow 
his  seed.  If  it  is  certain  that  a  man  will  live  to  old 
age,  it  is  certain  that  he  will  continue  to  take  food. 
If  it  is  certain  that  a  man  will  be  glorified,  equally 


MEANS   OF   GRACE.  203 

SO  that  he  will  first  be  justified  ;  if  that  he  will  be 
justified,  equally  so  that  he  will  be  effectually  called  ; 
if  that  he  will  be  efiectually  called,  equally  so  that 
he  will  be  convicted ;  if  that  he  will  be  convicted ; 
ninety-nine  times  in  a  hundred  he  will  make  the 
exertions  which  have  been  mentioned.  And  to  say 
that  if  he  is  elected  he  shall  be  saved  whether  he 
use  means  or  not,  is  like  saying,  if  it  was  decreed 
that  he  should  live  to  old  age,  he  will  live  though  he 
renounce  food,  and  would  though  he  had  never 
been  born. 

Nothing  then  but  inevitable  destruction  awaits 
those  who  cast  off  fear  and  restrain  prayer,  who 
neglect  the  means  of  grace,  or  attend  on  them 
with  a  careless  mind.  Not  a  symptom  appears 
that  such  people  are  ever  to  be  saved,  and  con- 
tinuing thus  they  are  as  certainly  lost  as  there  is 
a  God  in  heaven. 

But  after  all,  this  whole  process  is  only  God 
using  means  with  the  sinner,  and  not  the  sinner 
using  means  with  God.  The  voluntary  agency  of 
the  sinner  must  be  set  in  motion,  and  the  indispensa- 
ble necessity  of  this  may  be  displayed,  to  show  him 
the  madness  of  stupidity  and  to  rouse  his  attention ; 
but  after  all,  in  a  moral  point  of  view  his  agency  is 
of  no  account.  The  whole  credit  is  due  to  another. 
It  is  God  that  awakens  liis  attention  and  keeps  it 
awake.  It  is  God  pressing  an  unholy  agency  into 
service,  as  he  did  in  the  case  of  Pharaoh.  The 
whole  is  nothing  but  God  struggling  with  the  sin- 
ner, and  the  sinner  with  all  his  moral  feelings  strug- 


204  MEANS    OF   GRACE. 

gling  against  God.  It  is  God  bringing  good  out  of 
evil,  and  forcing  the  selfish  agency  which  is  directed 
against  him  to  promote  his  merciful  designs.  In  a 
word,  it  is  God  using  means  upon  the  sinner,  and 
not  the  sinner  using  means  for  himself.  To  compare 
his  unholy  exertions,  (as  is  often  done,)  to  the  lawful 
means  employed  by  the  husbandman,  is  grossly 
deceptive,  and  tends  only  to  foster  that  self-righteous- 
ness which  is  the  principal  enemy  to  be  overcome. 
There  is  no  real  resemblance  between  the  two  cases. 
The  sinner  has  never  broken  up  his  "  fallow  ground  ;" 
he  only  sows  upon  a  rock ;  he  plants  "  thistles  — 
instead  of  wheat,  and  cockle  instead  of  barley." 

2.  We  see  on  what  account  there  is  more  hope 
of  awakened  sinners  than  of  the  stupid,  and  more 
of  the  convicted  than  of  the  awakened,  and  more 
of  those  who  are  deeply  than  those  who  are  slightly 
convinced.  It  is  not  because  they  have  done  any- 
thing acceptable  to  God,  nor  because  they  are  inter- 
ested in  any  of  his  promises,  nor  because  they  have 
approached  nearer  to  a  holy  temper,  nor  because 
any  of  their  struggles  or  acquisitions  tend  to  change 
their  hearts  ;  but  because  God  has  begun  the  pre- 
paratory work  and  has  thus  far  advanced  it.  The 
more  advanced  it  is,  the  more  the  evidence  that  he 
intends  to  carry  it  through. 

3.  We  see  the  good  tendency  of  preaching  to 
sinners,  and  following  them  with  exhortations  and 
entreaties.  These  exertions  answer  two  ends.  First, 
to  explain  and  hold  up  truth  before  them.  It  is  in 
vain  for  them  to  turn  their  eye  if  the  object  is  not 


MEANS    OF   GRACE.  205 

presented.  Secondly,  to  furnish  motives  to  stimu- 
late their  attention  to  the  object.  They  certainly 
will  attend  if  sufficient  motives  are  brought  clearly 
to  their  view,  and  they  will  not  attend  without. 
There  is  then  the  same  need  and  the  same  en- 
couragement to  throw  in  motives  as  in  any  other 
case.  One  thought  suggested  by  a  friend  when 
their  attention  begins  to  flag,  may  rouse  it  again 
and  prove  an  essential  link  in  the  chain  of  their 
salvation.  The  thought  would  naturally  sink  into 
their  minds  if  unbelief  did  not  resist ;  but  the  time 
which  the  Spirit  ordinarily  takes  to  counteract  that 
resistance,  is  when  good  men  are  striving  to  fix 
impressions  upon  their  hearts.  It  is  not  his  usual 
way  to  send  home  immediate  suggestions,  but  to> 
apply  considerations  offered  by  others.  When  a 
solemn  ti'uth  is  laid  before  them  we  never  know  but 
he  may  lodge  it  deep  in  their  conscience.  And  as 
so  much  depends  on  putting  their  agency  into  action 
and  keeping  it  in  action,  everything  that  can  be 
done  ought  to  be  done  for  this  purpose.  The  success 
of  these  efforts  may  be  expected  to  bear  some  pro- 
portion to  the  nature  and  clearness  of  the  truths 
suggested,  and  to  the  earnestness  and  address  with 
which  they  are  enforced.  There  is  then  every  en- 
couragement, and  it  is  of  infinite  importance,  for 
ministers  to  labor  in  season  and  out  of  season  ;  for 
friends  to  speak  often  one  to  another ;  for  parents  to 
teach  and  exhort  their  children  when  they  sit  in  the 
house  and  when  they  walk  by  the  way,  when  they 
rise  up  and  when  they  lie  down.     Had  not  Ezekiel's 

18 


206  MEANS    OF   GRACE. 

voice  been  heard  in  the  valley,  the  bones  would  not 
have  lived. 

4.  We  learn  from  our  subject  the  manner  in  which 
sinners  ought  to  be  addressed. 

First,  we  see  the  infinite  importance  of  declaring 
to  them  the  ivhole  counsel  of  God,  comprehending 
all  the  motives  that  can  rouse  their  attention,  and  all 
the  considerations  that  can  affect  their  hearts.  The 
more  plainly  and  fully  the  truth  is  displayed,  the 
greater  the  prospect  of  their  salvation.  It  is  not  to 
offer  instruction  in  loose  and  general  terms ;  it  is  not 
to  sketch  the  mere  outlines  of  the  Christian  doctrine; 
it  is  not  to  deal  out  a  few  scraps  of  morality ;  but 
particularly  and  clearly  to  lay  open  all  that  God  has 
revealed.  It  is  not  to  ring  perpetual  changes  on 
a  few  party  shibboleths,  —  a  few  abstract  doctrines  ; 
we  must  present  the  objects  of  religion  in  all  their 
affecting  attitudes  ;  we  must  display  the  truths  of 
God  in  all  their  pungency  and  point,  and  pour  all 
the  motives  of  Christianity  upon  the  heart.  This 
leads  me  to  say, 

Secondly,  we  have  as  much  encouragement  as  in 
any  other  case  to  use  an  interesting,  impressive 
manner,  (the  manner  adapted  to  the  nature  of  man,) 
as  being  calculated  not  only  to  awaken  attention, 
but  to  seize  all  the  natural  avenues  of  the  soul.  Such 
is  the  coincidence  between  the  supernatural  and 
natural  order  of  divine  operations,  that  this  manner 
promises  by  far  the  gi'eatest  success. 

Thirdly,  we  learn  the  importance  of  urging  upon 
sinners  the  duty  of  immediate  submission  as  best 


MEANS   OF   GRACE.  207 

calculated  both  to  rouse  their  highest  attention  and 
to  present  to  thek  view  the  most  powerful  and  direct 
means  of  conviction.  The  only  end  of  preaching  to 
that  class  of  men  is  to  produce  attention,  and  through 
that,  conviction, —  conviction,  in  the  first  place,  of  their 
obligations,  guilt,  obstinacy,  helplessness,  and  perish- 
ing need  of  a  Saviour,  and  then,  of  the  truths  relating 
to  the  Saviour  and  the  way  of  acceptance  by  him.  The 
first  thing,  besides  exciting  some  degree  of  attention,  is 
to  lay  open  their  obligations.  From  this  results  a  sense 
of  guilt.  From  a  view  of  their  obligations  and  reluc- 
tance arises  a  conviction  of  obstinacy,  helplessness, 
and  ruin.  From  the  whole  follows  a  deep  apprehen- 
sion of  their  need  of  a  Saviour;  and  that  is  sure  to  pro- 
duce the  highest  state  of  attention.  The  beginning 
of  the  whole  process,  (except  a  partial  excitation  of 
the  attention,)  is  to  awaken  a  sense  of  obligation. 
Now  the  foundation  of  all  sense  of  obligation  must 
be  laid  in  a  view  of  the  claims  of  the  moral  Governor 
of  the  world, —  claims  not  at  all  impaired  by  the  in- 
disposition of  man.  And  what  are  his  claims  ?  He 
^'"now  commandeth  all  men,  everijichere^  to  repent.^'* 
^^Now^  saith  the  Lord,  turn  ye  even  to  me,  with  all  your 
hearty  and  with  fasting,  and  with  weeping,  and  with 
mourning;  and  rend  your  hearty  and  not  your  gar- 
ment, and  turn  unto  the  Lord  your  God."  "  Submit 
yourselves  —  to  God  ;  —  cleanse  your  hands,  ye  sin- 
ners, andpm-ify  jowc  hearts,  ye  double-minded."  (Jo- 
el ii.  12, 13  ;  Acts  xvii.  30 ;  James  iv.  7,  8.)  If  such 
are  the  claims  of  God,  and  such  obligations  really  lie 
upon  sinners,  the  readiest  way  to  make  them  feel 


208  MEANS   OF   GRACE. 

their  obligations  is  to  urge  them  to  the  immediate 
performance  of  these  duties.  If  they  oifg-ht  to  repent 
without  delay,  then  the  readiest  way  to  make  them 
feel  what  they  owe,  is  to  urge  them  to  immediate 
repentance ;  and  this  will  at  once  show  them  their 
reluctance,  obstinacy,  and  ruin.  That  they  will  not 
yield  to  this  requisition,  is  no  objection  to  its  being 
urged.  God  never  sent  the  Gospel  with  an  expecta- 
tion that  it  would,  o:^  itself,  conquer  the  hearts  of  men  ; 
but,  by  opening  to  them  his  character  and  claims,  to 
convince  them  of  their  ruin  and  need  of  a  Saviour. 
And  which,  I  ask,  has  the  most  tendency  to  produce 
this  conviction,  to  exhort  them  to  a  mere  use  of  means, 
or  to  press  upon  them  their  full  obligations  to  God  ? 
If  you  would  thoroughly  convince  them  of  their  guilt, 
hardness,  and  helplessness,  you  must  not  lower  down 
their  obligations  to  a  few  outward  observances,  while 
you  leave  thern  ignorant  of  God's  high  and  holy 
claims;  you  must  set  the  standard  high.  If  you  tell 
them  to  do  the  best  they  can,  (in  other  words,  the  best 
that  they  are  disposed  to  do,)  that  they  will  easily  per- 
form, and  in  the  trial  find  no  evidence  of  the  stubborn- 
ness of  their  hearts.  That  they  will  easily  perform,  and 
then  yield  to  the  strong  propensity  of  nature  to  sleep, 
upon  the  pillow  of  self-righteousness.  This  is  not  the 
way  to  bring  sinners  to  the  foot  of  the  cross ;  nor  is 
it  the  readiest  way,  as  abundant  experience  testifies, 
to  secure  even  an  attention  to  means.  Uncover  all 
their  obligations,  if  you  would  drive  them  t<o  their  knees, 
— if  you  would  compel  them  to  the  sanctuary  and 
their  Bibles.    But  you  say,  why  exhort  sinners  to  do 


MEANS   OF    GRACE.  209 

what  you  know  they  will  not  do  without  a  constrain- 
ing impulse  ?  I  answer :  if  this  is  not  allowed,  we 
may  not  even  urge  them  to  a  serious  use  of  means. 
But  the  fact  is,  that  God  never  sent  forth  his  ministers  to 
exhort  sinners  to  do  what  they  will  do  of  themselves, 
but  to  urge  upon  them  what  he  knew  they  never  would 
perform  without  his  constraining  power.  Thus  he 
sentEzekiel  to  say, "  Dry  bones,  hear  the  word  of  the 
Lord,"  when  he  knew  that  the  bones  would  never  hear 
without  his  supernatural  interposition.  And  this  com- 
mand was  a  sufficient  warrant  and  encouragement 
to  the  prophet.  If  he  should  bid  me  go  and  preach 
to  the  dead  in  yonder  grave-yard,  I  would  go.  With 
no  other  encouragement,  I  now  stand  over  this  val- 
ley of  the  slain,  and  say  to  the  dead  of  my  people 
and  kindred,  "  Come  out  of  your  graves,  ye  bones 
that  are  "  very  dry."  "Awake,  thou  thou  that  sleepest, 
and  arise  from  the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee 
light."     Amen. 


18* 


LECTURE   IX. 


ELECTION. 
EPHESIANS   i.  4,   5. 

ACCORDING  AS  HE  HATH  CHOSEN  US  IN  HIM  BEFORE  THE 
FOUNDATION  OF  THE  WORLD,  THAT  WE  SHOULD  BE  HOLY 
AND  WITHOUT  BLAME  BEFORE  HIM  IN  LOVE  ;  HAVING 
PREDESTINATED  US  UNTO  THE  ADOPTION  OF  CHILDREN 
BY  JESUS  CHRIST  TO  HIMSELF,  ACCORDING  TO  THE  GOOD 
PLEASURE    OF    HIS    WILL. 

It  has  been  proved  in  former  lectures  that  men  by- 
nature  are  destitute  of  hoUness,  are  supremely  selfish 
and  enemies  of  God,  and  so  remain,  without  any  ap- 
proach toward  sanctification,  without  any  abatement 
of  their  enmity,  without  any  feelings  or  actions  other- 
wise than  sinful  or  indifferent,  without  any  prayers 
that  God  will  hear,  without  anything  that  tends  to  a 
change  of  heart,  until  the  very  moment  of  regenera- 
tion ;  that  the  work  of  conviction,  in  every  case,  is 
carried  on  jifst  as  far  as  God  pleases,  the  cooperation 
of  the  sinner  to  that  extent  being  secured  by  the  con- 
trolling influence  of  motives  ;  that  regeneration  is 
produced  by  the  supernatural  and  immediate  power 


ELECTION.  211 

of  God,  unaided  and  uninduced  by  the  sinner,  and 
notwithstanding  his  unabated  resistance  to  the  last ; 
that  in  every  instance  where  this  power  is  exerted, 
regeneration  follows  ;  that  of  course  it  is  exerted  up- 
on some  and  not  upon  others,  —  not  because  the 
favored  ones  have  better  improved  antecedent  grace, 
or  have  been  more  ready  to  yield,  or  have  induced  or 
aided  God,  but  because  he  "  will  have  mercy  on  whom" 
he  "will  have  mercy;"  that  he  makes  one  to  differ 
from  another  according  to  his  sovereign  pleasure,  for 
no  other  assignable  reason  than,  "  Even  so.  Father, 
for  so  it  seemed  good  in  thy  sight."  All  this,  I  must 
believe,  has  been  proved;  and  it  completely  estab- 
lishes the  doctrine  of  election,  except  so  far  as  relates 
to  the  eternal  decree. 

Now  if  God  performs  all  his  works  from  design, 
and  is  unchangeable,  the  fact  of  the  eternal  decree  is 
readily  established.    The  theory  of  decrees  is  simply 

this:  WHATEVER  God  DOES,  HE  ALWAYS  MEANT   TO  DO. 

"Whatever  he  accomplishes  by  positive  power,  he  al- 
ways meant  to  accomplish ;  whatever  he  permits,  he 
always  meant  to  permit.  This  must  be  true,  if  he  acts 
from  design  and  is  unchangeable.  For  example,  if  he 
creates  a  world  to-day,  and  does  it  designedly,  he  al- 
ways had  the  same  design,  or  else  he  has  formed  a 
new  purpose  and  is  changeable.  If  he  produces  a  new 
heart  to-day,  and  does  it  designedly,  he  always  had 
the  same  design,  or  else  he  has  formed  a  new  pur- 
pose and  is  changeable.  If  he  makes  one  to  differ 
from  another  to-day,  and  does  it  designedly,  he  al- 


212  ELECTION. 

ways  intended  to  make  that  discrimination,  or  else 
he  has  formed  a  new  pm-pose,  and  is  changeable. 

The  fact  that  whatever  God  does,  he  always  meant 
to  do,  may  be  argued  also  from  his  foreknoidedge. 
Did  he  eternally  foreknow  that  he  should  create  a 
world  ?  Hoiv  did  he  foreknow  it  ?  He  knew  that  no  one 
could  compel  him :  if  he  had  not  determined  to  do  it,  — 
if  the  purpose  was  unsettled  in  his  mind, — if  his  reso- 
lution was  wavering,  how  did  he  certainly  know  that 
he  should  create  ?  Did  he  eternally  foreknow  that  he 
should  change  that  heart  to-day  ?  How  did  he  fore- 
know it  ?  He  knew  that  no  one  could  compel  him  : 
if  he  had  not  determined  to  produce  this  change, — 
if  the  purpose  was  unsettled  in  his  mind, — if  his  reso- 
lution was  wavering,  how  did  he  know  that  he  ceV' 
tainly  should  do  it  ? 

Take  the  subject  in  another  view.  He  foreknew 
that  he  should,  of  his  own  accord^  make  a  world.  On 
that  event,  he  deliberately  held  his  eye  from  eternity. 
And  could  he  eternally  foresee  a  voluntary  act  of  his 
own,  and  have  no  choice  or  design  about  it  ?  Could 
you  foresee  that  you  should  voluntarily  take  a  jom-ney 
at  a  given  time,  and  yet  have  no  choice  or  design 
about  the  event  ?  Is  it  possible  to  conceive  that  God 
should  eternally  have  foreknown  that  of  his  own  free 
consent  and  choice  he  should  make  one  to  differ  from 
another,  should  change  one  heart  and  leave  another 
unchanged,  and  yet  eternally  have  had  no  purpose 
or  choice  about  it  ?  I  must  assume  it,  then,  as  a  point 
about  which  no  doubt  can  exist,  that  whatever  he 


ELECTIOIT.  213 

foresaw  that  he  himself   should  voluntarily  do,  he 
always  meant  to  do. 

The  only  question  is,  what  does  God  perform? 
what  does  he  accomplish  by  positive  power?  what 
does  he  permit  ?  If  it  is  a  fact  that  he  changes  one 
sinner,  and  permits  another  to  take  his  course  to  ruin, 
he  always  intended  to  do  the  same.  If  it  is  not  a 
fact  that  he  makes  these  discriminations,  then  to  be 
sure  he  never  intended  to  make  them.  The  question 
wholly  turns  on  what  he  actually  does,  —  whether 
in  regeneration  he  really  does  more  for  one  than 
another.  If  he  does  not,  and  the  sinner  makes  him- 
self to  differ,  the  doctrine  of  election  falls.  But  if 
God  actually  makes  these  discriminations  between 
men,  (agreeably  to  the  proofs  adduced  in  the  forego- 
ing lectures,)  then  the  doctrine  of  election,  including 
the  eternal  decree,  follows  with  absolute  certainty. 

And  what  special  difficulty  arises  from  the  decree  ? 
Is  it  contrary  to  human  freedom  ?  But  the  decree 
touches  no  man  till  it  is  executed.  No  decree  to 
make  Peter  to  differ  from  Judas  affected  either  of 
them  till  one  was  taken  and  the  other  left.  If  while 
this  was  done  both  remained  free,  certainly  their  free- 
dom was  not  impaired  by  the  previous  purpose.  If 
liberty  is  infringed  it  is  not  infringed  by  the  decree, 
but  by  the  discriminating^  act  at  the  time  of  regenera- 
tion. But  if  God  can  actually  change  one  heart  and 
leave  another  unchanged  without  destroying  freedom, 
certainly  his  eternal  purpose  to  do  this  could  not  de- 
stroy it.  What  special  difficulty  then  arises,  from  the 
decree  ?     Is  it  against  the  divine  character  ?     But  it 


214  ELECTION. 

cannot  be  wrong  to  purpose  what  it  is  right  to  per- 
form. If  it  is  proper  to  do  an  act,  it  is  not  improper 
to  resolve  to  do  it.  If  it  is  right  to  change  one  heart 
and  leave  another  unchanged,  the  eternal  decree  to 
make  this  discrimination  was  right. 

The  doctrine  of  election,  thus  necessarily  deduced 
from  that  of  regeneration,  is  abundantly  supported 
by  the  word  of  God.  There  we  are  distinctly  taught 
that  God  eternally  elected  a  part  of  mankind  not  on 
account  of  their  foreseen  holiness^  but  to  holiness  it- 
self "  According  as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him, 
[Christ,]  before  the  foundation  of  the  ivorld^  that 

WE  SHOULD  BE  HOLY  AND  WITHOUT  BLAME  BEFORE 

HIM  IN  LOVE ;  having  predestinated  us  unto  the 
adoption  of  children  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself,  ac- 
cording  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  ivill ;  to  the 
praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace ^  wherein  he  hath 
made  us  accepted  in  the  beloved ;  —  having  made 
known  to  us  the  mystery  of  his  will,  according  to 
his  good  pleasure  which  he  hath  purposed  in  him- 
self; that  in  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of  times 
he  might  gather  together  in  one  all  things  in  Christ, 
both  which  are  in  heaven  and  which  are  on  earth, 
even  in  him :  in  whom  also  we  have  obtained  an 
inheritance,  being  predestinated  according  to  the  pur- 
pose of  him  who  loorketh  all  things  after  the  counsel 
of  his  oivn  will;  that  we  should  be  to  the  praise  of 
his  glory. —  For  we  are  his  workmanship,  created  in 
Christ   Jesus   unto  good  ivorks,  which  God  hath 

BEFORE   ORDAINED  THAT  WE  SHOULD  WALK    IN  THEM." 

"  God  hath  from  the  beginning  chosen  us  unto  sal- 


ELECTION.  215 

vation,  through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit  and 
BELIEF  OF  THE  TRUTH."  "  Who  hath  savcd  us  and 
called  us  with  a  holp  calling,  not  according  to  our 

WORKS,  but  according  TO  HIS  OWN  PURPOSE  AND 
GRACE  WHICH  WAS  GIVEN  US  IN  ChRIST  JeSUS  BE- 
FORE THE  WORLD  BEGAN."  "  Thc  children  being  not 
yet  bom,  neither  having'  done  any  good  or  evil,  that 
the  purpose  of  God  according  to  election  might 
stand,  not  of  ivorks  but  of  him  that  calleth,  it  was 
said  unto  her,  the  elder  shall  serve  the  younger ;  as 
it  is  written,  Jacob  have  I  loved,  but  Esau  have  I 
hated."      "  Whom  he  did  predestinate,  them   he 

AS  were  ordained  to 
"  Ye  have  not  chosen  me 
but  I  have  chosen  you,  and  ordained  you,  that  you 

SHOULD  GO  AND  BRING  FORTH  FRUIT,  AND  THAT  YOUR 
FRUIT  SHOULD  REMAIN." 

There  are  many  passages  in  which  election  is  as- 
serted in  more  general  terms  without  the  express 
idea  of  its  being  an  appointment  to  sanctificationP 
"  God  hath  not  appointed  us  to  wrath,  but  to  obtain 
salvationhj our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;"  "  according  to  the 
eternal  purpose  which  he  purposed  in  Christ  Jesus 
our  Lord."  "  Many  are  called,  but  few  are  chosenJ^ 
"  To  sit  on  my  right  hand  and  on  my  left  is  not 
mine  to  give,  but  it  shall  be  given  to  them  for  lohom 
it  is  prepared  of  my  Father P  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of 
my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you 
from  the  foundation  of  the  ivorldP  In  the  com- 
mencement of  a  Christian  church  at  Corinth,  God 
looked  on  the  Pagan  inhabitants  and  said  to  Paul 


216  ELECTION. 

for  his  encouragenient,  "  I  have  much  people  in  this 
city." 

In  the  ages  of  eternity  a  covenant  was  formed  be- 
tween the  Persons  of  the  Sacred  Trinity,  (commonly 
called  the  covenant  of  redemption,)  in  which  the 
Father  made  over  to  the  Son  a  definite  number  of 
the  human  race,  as  the  reward  of  his  obedience  "  un- 
to death,"  and  caused  their  names,  (whatever  it 
means,)  to  be  "  written"  in  the  Lamb's  "  book  of 
life."  The  veil  was  partly  drawn  from  this  trans- 
action in  the  writings  of  the  prophets,  where  many 
promises  in  the  form  of  an  oath  were  held  up  as 
made  to  Christ ;  such  as  that  his  throne  should  be 
established,  that  he  should  have  the  heathen  for  his 
inheritance,  that  he  should  see  of  the  travail  of  his 
soul  and  be  satisfied,  that  his  seed  should  endure  for- 
ever. But  in  the  New  Testament  this  ancient  cove- 
nant is  entirely  laid  open.  There  we  distinctly  learn 
that  the  faith  and  hope  of  God's  elect  are  founded 
on  2i  promise  of  eternal  life  made  before  the  loorld 
began.  "  Paul,  —  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,  accord- 
ing to  the  faith  of  Godh  electa  -^  in  hope  of  eternal 
life,  which  God  that  cannot  lie  promised  before  the 
world  begany  F romised  to  ivhoin?  Not  to  creatures, 
for  they  were  not  in  existence  ;  to  Christ  doubtless. 
And  for  the  particular  portion  of  the  human  race 
who  were  respected  in  this  covenant,  the  Mediator 
in  a  special  sense  laid  down  his  life.  "  I  lay  down 
my  life  for  the  sheep.^^  Who  are  the  sheep  ?  The 
very  seed  whom  the  Father  had  given  him  in  the 
everlasting  covenant,  including  as  well  those  who 


ELECTION.  217 

were  pagans  or  unborn  at  the  time  of  this  declaration 
as  those  who  were  believers  or  had  gone  to  glory  ; 
to  the  whole  of  whom  salvation  was  absolutely- 
secured."  "  My  sheep  hear  my  voice  and  I  knoiv 
them^  and  they  folloiv  me ;  and  I  give  unto  them 
eternal  life^  and  they  shall  never  perish^  neither 
shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.  My  Father 
which  GAVE  THEM  ME  is  greater  than  all,  and  none 
is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father'' s  handP 
Elect  Gentiles  were  counted  for  sheep  before  their 
conversion :  "  And  other  sheep  I  have  which  are  not 
of  this  fold  ;  them  also  I  must  brings  and  they  shall 
hear  my  voice."  It  is  explicitly  asserted  that  the 
identical  persons  that  were  given  to  Christ  shall  all 
come  to  him  by  faith,  and  shall  all  persevere  to  eter- 
nal life  :  "  Thou  hast  given  him  power  over  all  flesh, 
that  he  should  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou 

HAST   GIVEN  HiM."      "  AlL   THAT   THE   FaTHER  GIVETH 

ME  SHALL  COME  TO  ME,  and  Mm  that  Cometh  to  me  I 
will  in  no  wise  cast  out.  —  And  this  is  the  Father^ s 

ivill,  THAT    OF    ALL    WHICH     HE     HATH    GIVEN    ME   I 

SHOULD  LOSE  NOTHING,  BUT  SHOULD  RAISE  IT  UP 
AGAIN    AT    THE    LAST    DAY."        (Ps.  11.  7,  8    aild   Ixxxix. 

3,4,19  —  37;  Isai.  liii.  10  —  12;  Mat.  xx.  23  and 
xxii.  14  and  xxv.  34 ;  John  vi.  37,  39  and  x.  1  —  29 
and  XV.  16  and  xvii.  2 ;  Acts  xiii.  48  and  xviii.  10 ; 
Rom.  viii.  30  and  ix.  11  —  13 ;  Eph.  i.  4  —  12  and 
ii.  10  and  iii.  11 ;  1  Thes.  v.  9 ;  2  Thes.  ii.  13 ;  2 
Tim.,  i.  9  ;  Tit.  i.  1,  2  ;  Rev.  xiii.  8.) 

It  would  be  easy  to  multiply  texts;    but  if  the 
numerous  and  explicit  declarations  which  have  been 
19 


218  ELECTION. 

quoted  are  not  sufficient  to  produce  conviction,  a 
thousand  others  would  not.  Indeed,  if  such  peremp- 
tory and  often  repeated  ass'ertions  of  the  word  of 
God  are  not  believed,  what  is  your  faith  in  divine 
revelation  ?  Here  I  rest  my  cause,  —  and  without 
searching  for  further  proof,  shall  only  attempt,  in  the 
remaining  part  of  the  lecture,  to  explain  the  doctrine 
and  vindicate  it  against  objections. 

Suppose  ten  subjects  of  an  earthly  prince  are 
under  sentence  of  death  for  treason,  and  are  confined 
in  two  separate  cells,  five  in  one  and  five  in  the 
other.  They  have  all  forfeited  their  lives,  and  if  they 
are  all  executed  no  injustice  w^ill  be  done  them.  The 
prince,  a  most  wise  and  benevolent  man,  sees 
however,  that  it  will  promote  the  happiness  of  his 
immense  empire  for  five  to  be  pardoned  and  five 
executed,  and  for  the  whole  to  be  brought  about  in 
a  way  most  clearly  to  illustrate  both  his  justice 
and  mercy.  He  settles  in  his  mind  what  he  him- 
self will  do,  and  being  a  prophet^  foresees  the  con- 
duct of  the  prisoners.  With  every  part  of  the 
issue  full  in  his  view,  he  collects  thousands  of  his 
subjects  to  witness  the  transaction,  and  repairs  to 
the  prison.  He  orders  the  bolts  and  bars  to  be  re- 
moved from  the  first  cell,  the  door  to  be  thrown 
wide  open,  and  the  chains  to  be  struck  off.  *'  Now," 
says  he,  "  unhappy  men,  I  have  put  it  in  your  power  to 
come  forth.  No  bars  or  chains  confine  you.  If  you 
will  approach  and  kneel  before  me  and  confess  your 
crime  and  implore  forgiveness  and  submit  to  my 
government,  I  will  pardon  you  and  raise  you  to  my 


ELECTION.  219 

throne."  "We  cannot  do  it,"  say  they."  "Cannot! 
the  door  is  open  and  the  chains  are  off;  what  hin- 
ders ?"  "•pr<?  humble  ourselves  at  your  feet  as  crimi- 
nals and  sue  for  pardon !  we  will  die  first.  We  were 
oppressed,  and  have  only  made  an  effort  to  support 
our  rights."  The  prince  expostulates  and  pleads  with 
them,  but  they  still  refuse.  He  then  appeals  to  the 
spectators :  "  Do  I  cause  the  death  of  these  unhappy 
men  ?  "  Every  voice  firmly  answers,  no.  "Are  they 
not  free  in  their  refusal  ?  "  The  whole  multitude  tes- 
tify that  they  are.  "  Can  more  be  expected  from 
me  V  Nothing  more.,  is  the  *  universal  response. 
"  Will  not  their  blood  be  upon  then*  own  heads  ? " 
Upon  their  oivn  heads  forever^  says  the  common 
sense  of  a  world.  He  bars  their  prison  and  orders 
them  to  execution.  He  then  goes  to  the  second  cell, 
throws  open  the  door,  strikes  off  the  chains,  and  of- 
fers pardon  to  the  other  five  on  the  same  conditions. 
They  also  refuse.  He  expostulates  and  pleads  with 
them.  They  still  refuse.  He  then  appeals  to  the 
spectators,  and  receives  the  same  answers.  Thus  far 
the  cases  are  parallel.  Now  we  will  suppose  that  the 
prince  possesses  power,. by  laying  his  hand  on  the 
prisoners,  to  melt  them  into  submission.  He  lays 
his  hand  on  them  ;  they  fall  at  his  feet,  accept  of  par- 
don, and  are  raised  to  his  throne.  No  act  of  then-  lives 
was  ever  more  free^  for  they  submitted  willingly  and 
with  all  then  heart.  Afterwards  the  prince  informs  the 
people  that  he  had  foreseen  the  whole  event,  and  had 
determined  on  the  course  he  should  pursue  before  he 
left  the  palace ;  that  in  the  discrimination  which  he 


220  ELECTION. 

had  made  he  had  been  influenced  only  oy  a  regard 
for  the  happiness  of  his  empire ;  and  that  to  have 
subdued  the  first  five  would  have  marred  the  public 
good.  Now  I  ask,  what  have  you  to  allege  against 
that  prince  ?  If  the  public  good  required  just  that 
exhibition  of  justice  and  mercy,  would  you  not  have 
blamed  him  had  he  done  otherwise  ?  Who  was  in- 
jured? Not  those  who  perished;  they  only  had  their 
deserts :  nor  were  they  injured  by  the  mercy  shown 
to  the  rest.  In  a  case  where  all  had  forfeited  their 
lives,  had  not  the  prince  a  right  to  reclaim  and  par- 
don whom  he  wou*ld  ?  to  select  that  number  and 
those  individuals  wliose  deliverance  would  m6st  pro- 
mote the  haj^piness  of  his  kingdom?  Whose  freedom 
did  he  impair?  Whom  did  he  defraud?  Whom  did 
he  compel  to  die  ?  Nay,  as  justice  to  his  kingdom 
would  not  allow  him  forcibly  to  reclaim  the  whole, 
the  prisoners  themselves  compelled  him  either  to 
abandon  them  all  to  their  fate  or  make  the  discrimi- 
nation which  he  did.  Had  they  yielded  of  their  oivn 
accord.)  as  they  ought  to  have  done,  he  would  have 
had  no  occasion  to  do  more  for  one  than  another. 
But  as  it  was,  he  must  discriminate,  or  resign  them 
all  to  destruction.  Now  if  his  conduct  cd  the  prison 
was  right,  what  have  you  to  allege  against  his  pre- 
vious purpose  ?  Was  it  Avrong  to  determine  to  do  a 
right  thing?  And  how  could  the  prisoners  be  injured 
by  the  mere  design?  They  were  not  at  all  affected 
by  what  was  devised  in  the  palace,  but  only  by  what 
was  done  at  the  prison. 

As  I  understand  the  doctrine  of  election,  this  is  an 


ELECTION.  221 

exact  illustration  of  it.  Mankind  received  from  the 
hand  of  God  full  powers  to  obey  him.  They  sinned 
and  forfeited  their  lives,  and  were  like  prisoners  con- 
demned to  die.  The  atonement  opened  all  their 
prisons  and  struck  off  all  their  chains.  The  invita- 
tion is  sent  to  all.  All  possess  natural  ability  to 
comply,  (as  will  be  distinctly  shown  in  the  next  lec- 
ture,) but  all  refuse.  They  are  entreated,  but  they 
still  refuse.  At  this  point,  election  comes  in.  It  is 
their  own  fault  that  there  is  need  of  a  Divine  inter- 
position to  subdue  their  obstinacy.  This  necessity 
they,  and  not  God,  created.  They  ought  to  comply, 
of  their  own  accord,  and  not  wait  to  be  compelled. 
They  are  able,  but  "will  not."  Not  a  child  of  Adam 
will.  The  whole  race  will  refuse  till  they  die,  unless 
subdfted  by  Divine  power,  —  not  because  they  are  too 
feeble^  but  because  they  are  so  bad.  This  universal 
obstinacy,  which  alone  renders  a  special  interposition 
necessary,  obliges  God  to  decide — whether  to  save 
all,  or  save  none,  or  subdue  such  a  part  as  his  wis- 
dom sees  best.  He  cannot  save  all,  consistently  with 
the  good  of  the  universe.  His  compassion  will  not 
allow  him  to  abandon  all  to  destruction.  The  only 
choice  left  him  is  to  conquer  whom  he  will.  This 
necessity,  not  he  but  the  obstinacy  of  sinners  created. 
It  grows,  not  out  of  their  inability^  but  out  of  their 
desperate  wickedness.  He  forces  none  to  hell ;  they 
go  of  their  own  accord :  he  only  forces,  as  it  were,  a 
part  to  heaven.  And  this  he  does  for  as  many  as  the 
interest  of  the  universe  allows.  The  rest  are  left  un- 
touched, .unshackled,  to  pursue  their  own  chosen  way, 

19* 


222  ELECTION. 

— with  full  power  to  live,  but  choosing  death  rather 
than  life.  And  now,  after  salvation  is  provided  for 
them,  and  offered  to  them,  and  is  obstinately  refused, 
does  it  become  them  to  throw  the  blame  on  God, 
and  complain  that  he  created  them  to  be  damned? 
He  did  not  create  them  to  be  damned.  He  created 
them  to  be  saved,  and  they  have  "sold"  their  "birth- 
right" for  a  contemptible  mess  of  "pottage."  The 
truth  is,  he  foresaw  them  in  existence  and  actually 
refusing,  before  he  had  an  opportunity  to  decide 
whether  to  subdue  them  or  not.  In  the  order  of  na- 
ture, the  discriminating  decree  followed  their  refusal^ 
as  the  two  eternally  lay  in  the  divine  mind.  And  in 
its  execution,  the  decree  does  not  touch  them  till  af- 
ter they  have  existed  and  refused.  In  both  views,  the 
discrimination  is  to  be  considered  as  following  their 
refusal,  and  not  as  preceding  their  existence. 

Hitherto  I  have  treated  the  subject  in  conformity 
to  the  common  apprehension,  that  succession  and  the 
relations  of  before  and  after  are  predicable  of  the  Di- 
vine existence.  To  this  apprehension,  the  language 
of  Scripture  is  also  accommodated.  But  the  objec- 
tion last  started,  and  many  other  difficulties,  will  be 
more  effectually  obviated  by  recurring  to  the  real 
mode  of  God's  existence."  To  him,  eternity  is  but  one 
moment.  He  knows  no  lapse  of  time  ;  and,  except 
what  relates  to  the  order  of  nature,  no  before  or  after. 
All,  to  him,  is  eternal  now.  On  the  scale  of  crea- 
tures there  is,  indeed,  a  before  and  after.  To  them, 
the  execution  of  his  decrees  is  in  succession.  To  them, 
an  eternal  decree  is  j^re-determination.    Nat  so  with 


ELECTION.  223 

him.  With  him,  the  existence  of  creatm-es  was  as 
early  as  the  decree.  With  him,  the  pm-pose  and  the 
execution  are  in  the  same  moment.  His  eternal  de- 
cree is  nothing  but  a  design  existing  in  one  eternal 
NOW, — is  nothing  but  ^present  purpose  eternally  the 
same.*  Were  it  perfectly  easy  for  us  to  conceive  of 
this  mode  of  his  being,  we  could  readily  see  that  the 
existence  and  refusal  of  men  stand  before  the  dis- 
criminating decree,  (I  speak  of  the  order  of  nature: 
the  order  of  ^{me  is  excluded,)  —  stand  before  the  de- 
cree as  they  are  arranged  in  the  Divine  mind ;  that 
he  sees  men  existing  and  refusing  before  he  deter- 
mines, or  has  an  opportunity  to  determine,  whether 
to  subdue  them  or  not ;  and  that  election  amounts 

*  "  How  can  this  be,"  says  the  objector,  that  the  existence  of 
God  is  in  one  eternal  now  ?  Fifty  years  ago  he  did  not  see  me 
existing  at  that  time  ;  and  now  he  sees  me  to  exist :  must  not,  then, 
his  views  be  successive  ?  Now  this  is  taking  for  granted  what  the 
objector  ought  to  prove,  that  the  time  which^  to  creatures,  passed 
fifty  years  ago,  and  the  present,  are  two  distinct  periods  with  God. 
He,  indeed,  perceives  the  scale  on  which  creatures  reckon  time, 
and  sees  them  lying  along  on  that  scale  at  different  points  ;  but 
his  eternal  now  stands  equally  opposite,  if  I  may  so  say,  to  every 
part  of  the  scale.  That  this  Is  his  real  mode  of  existence,  Is  capa- 
ble of  all  the  proof  that  such  a  subject  admits.  The  Idea  of  an 
eternal  succession  of  views  and  exercises,  Involves  all  the  absurd- 
ity of  an  irijinite  numher.  It  Implies,  also.  Imperfection  of  knowl- 
edge, as  it  supposes  a  constant  accession  of  new  Ideas,  —  and 
mutability,  as  it  supposes  a  continual  change.  "  But,  beloved,  be 
not  ignorant  of  this  one  thing,  that  one  day  is,  with  the  Lord,  as 
a  thousand  years  ;  and  a  thousand  years,  as  one  day."  (2  Pet. 
iii.8.) 


224  ELECTION. 

only  to  this :  he  finds  men  in  existence  and  refusing 
his  grace,  and  then  determines  whom  to  conquer  and 
whom  to  leave  uninfluenced.  But  when  you  talk 
of  his  creating  them  to  be  damned,  you  put  the  dis- 
crimination before  their  existence,  as  the  two  lie  to- 
gether in  the  Divine  Mind. 

That  which  to  creatures  is  jore-destination,  is  to 
God  only  a  present  purpose.  It  comes  out  then,  at 
last,  that  the  decision  made  in  election  is  only  the 
decision  of  his  present  will,  existing  the  same  from 
eternity  to  eternity.  The  docti'ine  of  election,  thus 
disentangled  from  our  crude  conceptions,  amounts 
only  to  this  :  it  depends  on  the  present  decision  of 
God,  not  whether  salvation  shall  be  provided  for 
sinners,  for  Christ  died  for  all,  —  not  whether  pardon 
shall  be  offered  to  them,  for  it  is  offered  without 
money  and  without  price,  —  not  whether  they  shall 
have  poiver  to  accept,  for  they  are  abundantly  able ; 
but  when  they  obstinately  refuse,  whether  he  will 
make  them  "  willing  in  the  day  of  [his]  power." 
If  they  will  not  repent,  but  lay  him  under  a  necessity 
to  compel  them  or  leave  them  to  perish,  pray  give 
Him  the  common  liberty  of  a  man,  to  choose  for  him- 
self whether  to  act  or  not.  Allow  him  the  freedom 
not  denied  to  slaves,  to  determine  whether  to  bestow 
or  withhold  a  free  gift. '  What  difficulty  then  re- 
mains ?  But  I  hold  you  to  facts.  You  know,  at 
this  moment,  that  it  does  depend  on  His  present  will 
whether  you  shall  ever  have  a  new  heart.  This  is 
a  matter  of  fact  which  you  will  not  deny.  WeU, 
election  amounts  to  nothing  more,  —  with  this  single 


ELECTION.  225 

addition,  that  His  present  will  is  the  will  of  one 
eternal  now. 

When  men  are  anxious  and  uncertain  about  their 
salvation,  they  are  apt  in  their  approaches  to  God  to 
conceive  of  an  old  constitution  which  binds  his  hands 
and  leaves  him  no  liberty  to  follow  his  present  choice, 
—  or  of  an  old  catalogue^  in  which  if  their  names  do 
not  happen  to  be  found,  he  cannot  save  them  if  he 
will.  But  this  is  a  crude  conception.  There  is  no 
constitution  or  catalogue  or  decree  which  to  Him  is 
old.  The  world  is  now  governed  by  His  present  will, 
just  as  though  His  purposes  were  all  formed  to-day, 
— just  as  though  He  now  began  to  be.  If  he  has 
now  a  wish  to  change  your  heart,  there  is  no  ancient 
decree  to  prevent.  It  is  his  present  will  that  must 
decide  your  fate.     On  that  alone  you  are  cast. 

From  this  view  of  the  subject  I  infer  that  election 
ought  not  to  be  regarded  as  any  discouragement  to 
prayer.  It  is  only  because  the  .vulgar  notion  of  suc- 
cession in  God  is  always  intruding,  bringing  with  it 
the  phantom  of  a  decree  which  to  him  is  old,  that 
this  doctrine  has  ever  been  thought  to  interfere  with 
our  encouragements  to  pray.  And,  indeed,  if  there 
was  an  old  decree  or  constitution  or  catalogue  which 
bound  his  hands,  it  would  be  in  vain  to  apply  to  his 
present  will.  But  no  such  ancient  statute  has  barred 
the  door  of  access.  The  way  is  now  as  open  to  his 
very  heart  as  though  he  began  to  exist  today.  Nor 
is  it  inconsistent  with  his  uncliangeableness  that  he 
should  be  really  affected  by  prayer.  If,  agreeably  to 
the  literal  construction  of  his  word,  the  prayers  which 


226  ELECTION. 

are  now  offered  really  affect  his  heart,  it  only 
proves  that  as  they  have  eternally  lain  before  him, 
they  have  eternally  and  unchangeably  affected  his 
heart.  If  then  you  can  now  present  prayers  fit  to  be 
regarded  on  Christ's  account  by  infinite  purity  and 
compassion,  there  is  nothing  in  the  way  of  his  being 
as  readily  affected  by  them  as  any  father  is  by  the 
cries  of  his  suffering  children.  He  has  a  heart  easily 
touched  with  the  voice  of  penitent  distress,  from 
whatever  quarter  it  comes.  His  infinite  tenderness, 
his  readiness  to  listen  to  every  sigh  of  a  broken 
heart  offered  through  his  Son,  is  a  truth  in  which  all 
his  mercy  is  involved,  —  for  which  all  his  perfections 
stand  pledged.  This  blessed  truth  it  is  your  duty  to 
believe,  (without  any  gloomy  exception  against  your- 
self,) as  firmly  as  you  believe  your  existence.  Your 
sense  of  it,  your  confidence  in  it,  cannot  be  raised 
too  high.  This  very  confidence  is  the  greatest,  the 
most  difficult,  the. most  essential  effort  of  faith. 
Give  it  full  scope ;  it  cannot  go  too  far.  Nor  is  there 
anything  in  election  to  depress  its  flights.  Election 
only  touches  the  question  whether  you  shall  be  con- 
strained to  feel  this  confidence.  But  if  you  feel  it, 
there  is  nothing  in  the  doctrine  to  discourage  its 
boldest  triumphs.  If  you  have  never  exercised  it 
before,  there  is  nothing  in  the  doctrine,  (unregen- 
erate  as  you  are,)  to  discourage  you  from  exer- 
cising it  now.  It  will  only  be  confiding  in  an 
everlasting  truth,  which  the  doctrine  has  no  influ- 
ence to  destroy.  It  is  a  truth,  as  unchanging  as 
the  perfections  of  God,  that  he  is  ready  to  hear  at  all 


ELECTION.  227 

times,  from  whatever  quarter  it  comes,  the  cry  of 
penitent  grief  and  filial  confidence  offered  through 
his  dear  Son.  Go  then  directly  to  his  present  will, 
to  his  inmost  heart,  with  the  agony  and  confidence 
of  Jacob.  Do  you  hesitate  and  tremble  from  a  doubt 
about  your  election?  But  what  has  this  to  do? 
You  know  that  if  you  offer  such  prayers  you  shall 
be  accepted  upon  et'ery/ plan,  —  that  if  you  do  not 
offer  such  prayers  you  cannot  be  accepted  upon  any 
plan.  You  doubt  perhaps  whether  your  prayers  are 
sincere ;  but  this  has  nothing  to  do  with  election ; 
for  none  but  sincere  prayers  can  be  accepted,  whether 
election  is  true  or  false.  Do  you  find  the  dreadful 
proof  that  your  prayers  are  unholy  ?  Even  then  you 
are  not  delivered  over  to  an  ancient  decree ;  you  are 
only  cast  upon  his  present  will.  If  that  will  which, 
self-moved^  let  down  a  hand  to  raise  Abraham  and 
David  from  unregeneracy,  is  pleased  to  pluck  you 
from  destruction,  you  live.  Upon  that  tvill  throw 
yourself  in  the  last  resort.  Put  your  life  in  your 
hand,  cast  yourself  at  his  feet,  pouring  out  this  sum 
of  all  your  hopes,  "  Lord,  if  thou  ivilt,  thou  canst 
make  me  clean." 

"  But  in  case  I  am  not  elected  he  will  not  receive 
me  if  I  go."  He  ivill  receive  you  if  you  go,  the  de- 
cree of  election  notwithstanding.  Election  only 
touches  the  question  whether  you  shall  be  con- 
strained to  go.  But  if  you  go,  election  does  not 
stand  in  the  way.  If  you  go  you  will  certainly  be 
received.  It  is  the  wickedness  of  unbelief  that 
questions   this   truth,  —  a   truth   in  which    all   the 


228  ELECTION. 

mercy  and  sincerity  of  God  are  involved.  It  is 
your  indispensable  duty  to  believe  it ;  you  are  com- 
manded to  believe  it ;  you  will  be  eternally  punished 
for  not  believing  it.  To  doubt  it,  is  to  charge  God 
with  falsehood  and  perjury  to  his  face.  Did  you 
never  read  that  the  "  faith,"  without  which  "  it  is  im- 
possible to  please  him,"  believes  "that  he  is  a 
rewarder  of  them  that  dilig-enthj  seek  him  ?  "  (Heb. 
xi.  6.)  Be  you  elected  or  not,  God  is  this^  —  and 
you  ought  to  believe  it  with  the  most  unwaver- 
ing confidence.  You  cannot  entertain  too  exalted 
ideas  of  his  readiness,  his  eager  desire  to  receive  all 
who  truly  apply.  If  you  go  to  him  in  the  fulness 
of  this  feeling,  you  will  find  no  decree  in  the 
way. 

From  this  view  of  the  subject  I  infer  also  that 
election  is  not  inconsistent  with  the  sincerity  of  the 
invitations  to  the  non-elect.  God  never  decreed  that 
the  invitations  should  be  rejected;  but  when  all  men 
agree  to  reject  them,  he  only  determines  whom  he 
will  make  wiUing.  The  discriminating  decree  comes 
in  after  the  rejection.  It  stands  in  this  order  in  the 
Eternal  Mind ;  it  stands  in  this  order  when  it  is  ex- 
ecuted. To  God  the  decree  and  the  execution  are 
in  the  same  moment ;  to  him  no  part  of  the  dis- 
crimination is  before  the  refusal,  even  in  the  order 
of  nature.  It  is  as  though  a  man  were  to  invite  you 
to  his  house,  with  no  other  purpose  than  to  give  you 
a  kind  reception,  and  after  your  refusal  should  form 
designs  concerning  you.  If  we  could  familiarly  ap- 
prehend the  idea  of  an  eternal  Now,  this  would  be 


ELECTION.  229 

seen  to  be  an  exact  account  of  the  overtures  to  the 
non-elect. 

But  to  pass  from  the  mode  of  God's  existence  to 
the  scale  of  creatures,  if  anything  lies  against  the 
sincerity  of  the  invitations,  it  is  merely  the  fore- 
knoicledge  that  they  will  be  rejected.  But  this 
objection  is  to  be  met  upon  every  plan  that  does  not 
deny  the  omniscience  of  God.  And  it  lies  equally 
against  the  sincerity  of  the  invitations  to  the  elect 
before  they  are  renewed.  This  objection  points  its 
force,  not  against  election,  but  against  foreknowledge, 
and  equally  embarrasses  every  plan  short  of  down- 
right atheism.  The  common  answer  which  Armin- 
ians  give  to  this  objection  is,  that  inasmuch  as  the 
sinner  is  able  to  accept,  and  is  not  prevented  by  God ; 
inasmuch  as  God  is  willing  that  he  should  come  if 
he  will,  and  stands  readi/  to  receive  him  if  he  comes, 
the  invitation  is  to  be  considered  sincere  notwith- 
standing the  foreknowledge.  Precisely  the  same  is 
my  answer;  and  if  the  Arminian  scheme  is  thus 
freed  from  the  difficulty,  so  is  the  doctrine  which  I 
am  supporting.  I  only  add  to  their  idea,  that  God 
is  able  to  conquer  the  rebel  if  he  will. 

But  I  have  another  thing  to  say.  God  is  exhibit- 
ed in  the  Scriptures  in  two  distinct  characters ;  as 
the  main-spring  of  motion,  (that  is,  of  holiness,)  and 
as  the  moral  Governor  of  the  world,  holding  in  his 
hands  the  rights  of  the  Godhead,  and  commanding, 
threatening,  punishing,  inviting,  promising,  and  re- 
warding. These  two  departments  are  so  distinct  as 
20 


230  ELECTION. 

to  belong  to  two  different  Persons  in  the  Godhead ; 
the  former  being  the  office-work  of  the  Spirit,  the  lat- 
ter the  office-work  of  the  Father.  Now  for  the  Father 
to  invite  those  whom  the  Spirit  does  not  sanctify, 
implies  no  more  inconsistency  than  for  the  Son  to 
mediate  for  those  with  whom  the  Father  is  displeased. 
As  the  act  of  the  Spuit  leaves- the  moral  agency  of 
men  entire,  the  Father  may  reasonably  address  them 
as  complete  agents,  —  agents  as  entirely  distinct  from 
him  as  from  each  other.  There  is  no  exercise  of  a 
moral  government  upon  any  other  principle.  No  other 
principle  accords  with  truth ;  for  men  are  complete 
moral  agents,  and  as  distinct  from  God  as  from  each 
other.  And  it  is  no  less  reasonable  for  him  to  com- 
mand, invite,  promise,  and  threaten  his  subjects,  than 
for  an  earthly  prince  to  do  this  ;  and  he  is  as  sincere 
in  his  invitations  and  promises,  even  to  those  who  re- 
ject his  calls,  as  any  earthly  prince  could  be.  In  esti- 
mating the  sincerity  of  these  addresses,  you  are  to  lay 
out  of  account  the  physical  agency  of  the  Spirit,  since 
this  in  no  degree  interferes  with  the  freedom  of  sin- 
ners, nor  with  the  Father's  readiness  to  receive  as 
many  as  apply.  Lose  yourselves  in  contemplating 
him  in  the  simple  light  of  a  moral  Governor,  full  of  love 
and  mercy,  having  nothing  to  do  with  the  work  of 
constraining  men,  sending  abroad  his  invitations  to 
moral  agents  fully  able  to  comply,  and  actually  re- 
ceiving all  who  come :  lay  aside  the  relations  of  before 
and  after,  and  consider  all  this  (both  the  purpose  and 
the  act,)  di^  only  present;  and  then  say,  are  not  his  in- 


ELECTION.  231 

vitations  to  all  men  sincere  ?  In  this  light  the  whole 
subject  appears  (as  many  can  testify),  to  a  soul  pos- 
sessed of  the  lively  and  realizing  views  of  faith. 

But  I  have  one  more  objection  to  meet.  I  hear 
some  of  you  say,  does  not  this  doctrine  make  God  a 
respecter  of  persons  ?  This  depends  on  what  you  mean 
by  the  terms.  If  to  confer  unequal  favors  on  his 
creatures,  is  to  be  a  respecter  of  persons,  he  is  doubt- 
less such.  The  fact  meets  you  wherever  you  turn 
your  eye.  He  gave  more  exalted  powers  to  men  than 
to  worms  ;  to  angels,  than  to  men.  He  passed  by 
those  who  fell  from  heaven,  and  provided  a  Saviour 
for  the  human  race.  He  passed  by  the  pagan  tribes, 
and  sent  the  Gospel  to  you.  He  brings  one  into  the 
world  the  child  of  prayer,  to  inherit  the  blessings  of  a 
pious  family,  while  another  is  neglected  by  profligate 
parents,  to  grow  up  "like  a  wild  ass's  colt."  To  one 
he  gives  "five  talents,"  to  another  "two,"  to  another 
"  one."  One  man  is  born  to  disease  and  unremitting 
pain ;  another,  to  vigorous  health.  One  inherits  no- 
thing but  poverty  and  disgi-aee ;  another  is  born  to 
wealth  and  honor.  One  is  cut  down  in  infancy ;  an- 
other is  suffered  .to  reach  the  utmost  limits  of  human 
life.  One  finds  uninterrupted  success  in  all  the  labor 
of  his  hands  ;  another  seems  to  live  only  for  disap- 
pointment and  defeat.  Nor  is  this  always  the  conse- 
quence of  better  or  worse  management.  "  The  race 
is  not  to  the  swift,  nor  the  battle  to  the  strong."  If, 
then,  you  mean  by  respect  for  persons  the  holy  sove- 
reignty exercised  in  these  discriminations,  so  far  from 
disowning  it  as  derogatory  to  his  character,  the  great 


232  ELECTION. 

Proprietor  of  heaven  and  earth  claims  it  as  his  glory 
and  unalienable  right.  And  instead  of  taking  offence 
at  this,  all  the  holy  universe  pronounce  with  one  voice, 
"  Amen :  let  none  but  infinite  wisdom  and  love  de- 
cide a  single  event  to  eternity." 

What,  then,  does  the  Sovereign  of  the  world  mean 
when  he  disclaims  the  character  of  being  a  respecter 
of  persons  ?  He  always  has  reference  to  himself  in 
the  capacity  of  a  judge^  or  of  a  king  reivarding  and 
pujiishing-,  and  means  no  more  than  this :  that  when 
he  sits  on  the  tribunal  to  pronounce  sentence,  or  when 
he  distributes  rewards  and  punishments,  he  will  treat 
men  according  to  their  naked  characters,  unbiassed 
by  any  other  consideration,  uninfluenced  by  any  pri- 
vate partialities,  as  for  Jews  against  Gentiles,  for 
apostles  against  common  Christians,  for  members  of 
the  church  against  infidels,  for  the  learned  against  the 
ignorant,  for  the  rich  against  the  poor,  for  masters 
against  servants,  for  kings  against  peasants.  That 
this  is  certainly  his  meaning,  will  appear  from  a  sin- 
gle glance  at  the  passages  in  which  the  phrase  is  used. 
Jehoshaphat  said  to  the  judges,  "  Take  heed  what  ye 
do,  for  ye  judge  not  for  men,  but  for  the  Lord,  who  is 
with  you  in  the  judgment;  —  for  there  is  no  iniquity 
with  the  Lord  our  God,  nor  respect  of  persons,  nor 
taking  of  gifts,"  (bribes.)  Moses  said  to  the  people, 
"  Be  no  more  stiff-necked,  for  the  Lord  your  God  is 
—  a  great  God,  a  mighty,  and  a  terrible,  which  re- 
gardeth  not  persons  nor  taketh  reward  (bribes:)  he 
doth  execute  the  judgment  of  the  fatherless  and  widow." 
"  Shall  even  he,"  said  Elihu, "  that  hateth  right  govern, 


ELECTION.  233 

and  wilt  thou  condemn  him  that  is  most  just  ?  Is  it 
fit  to  say  to  a  king,  Thou  art  wicked?  —  How  much 
less  to  Him  that  accepteth  not  the  persons  of  pruices^ 
nor  regardeth  the  rich  more  than  the  poor.  —  He  strik- 
eth  them  as  wicked  men  in  the  open  sight  of  others, 
because  —  they  cause  the  cry  of  the  poor  to  come 
unto  him.  —  He  respecteth  not  any  that  are  wise  of 
heart."  When  Peter  beheld  the  tokens  of  Divine  favor 
to  the  first  Gentile  converts,  he  said,  "  Of  a  truth  I 
perceive  that  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons,  for  in 
every  nation  he  that  fear  eth  him  and  worketh  righteous- 
ness is  accepted  with  him^  Paul,  looking  forward  to 
"  the  day  of  wrath  and  revelation  of  the  righteous  judg- 
w^TJ^of  God,"  says, "  Who  will  render  to  every  man  ac- 
cording to  his  deeds ^ — tribulation  and  anguish  upon 
every  soul  of  man  that  doeth  evil,  of  the  Jeiv  first  and 
also  of  the  Gentile;  but  glory,  honor,  and  peace  to  eve- 
ry man  that  worketh  good,  to  the  Jeiu  first  and  also  to 
the  Gentile  ;  for  there  is  no  respect  of  persons  with 
God."  Speaking  of  the  apostles  and  Christians  in 
the  mother-church  at  Jerusalem,  he  says,  "  Whatso- 
ever they  were,  it  maketh  no  matter  to  me ;  God  ac- 
cepteth no  man's  person."  That  is,  neither  membership 
in  the  mother-church,  nor  even  an  apostleship,  is  re- 
garded by  him  who  looks  only  at  the  naked  charac- 
ter. To  masters  and  servants  he  says,  "  Ye  masters, 
do  the  same  unto  them,  forbearing  threatening,  know- 
ing that  yom*  Master  also  is  in  heaven,  neither  is 
there  respect  of  persons  with  him."  "  Servants,  obey 
in  all  things  your  masters, — knowing  that  of  the 
Lord  ye  shall  receive  the  reicard :  —  but  he  that  doth 

20* 


234  ELECTION. 

wrong,  shall  receive  f 07'  the  wrong-  ichich  lie  hath  done ; 
and  there  is  no  respect  of  persons."  But  Peter  brings 
this  matter  to  a  point :  "  If  ye  call  on  the  Father,  who 
without  respect  of  persons  judgeth  according  to  every 
marCs  ivork.''^  So  when  the  Herodians  constituted 
Christ  a  judge  in  the  question  about  paying  tribute 
to  Cesar,  they  say,  "  Neither  acceptest  thou  the  per- 
son of  any,  but  teachest  the  way  of  God  truly  ;"  pre- 
tending to  say,  that  he  would  give  a  just  judgment, 
without  partiality  even  to  an  emperor. 

Turn,  now,  to  the  passages  in  which  the  phrase  is 
used  in  reference  to  77ien.  In  every  case,  when  thus 
applied,  it  refers  to  men  appointed  to  judge  for  God. 
"  I  charged  your  judges,  —  saying,  hear  the  cause  be- 
tween your  brethren  and  judge  righteously :  —  ye  shall 
not  respect  persons  in  judgment^  but  you  shall  hear  the 
small  as  well  as  the  great, — for  the  judgineyit  is  God^s. 
"Ye  shall  do  no  unrighteousness  in  judgment;  thou 
shalt  not  respect  the  person  of  the  poor,  nor  honor  the 
person  of  the  mighty;  but  in  righteousness  shalt  thou 
judge  thy  neighbor.''''  "  Thou  shalt  not  ivr  est  judgment; 
thou  shalt  not  respect  persons,  neither  take  a  gift,  [a 
bribe. \  —  That  which  is  altogether  jw5^  shalt  thou  fol- 
low." "It  is  not  good  to  have  respect  of  persons  in 
judgment.  He  that  saith  unto  the  wicked,  Thou  art 
righteous,  him  shall  the  people  curse."  "  To  have  re- 
spect of  persons  is  not  good,  for  for  a  piece  of  bread 
\a  bribe]  that  man  ivill  transgress.''^  In  allusion  to 
church-assemblies,  held  to  judge  of  controversies  be- 
tween brethren,  James  says,  "  Have  not  the  faith  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  —  with  respect  of  persons. 


ELECTION.  235 

For,  if  there  come  into  your  assemblies  a  man  with 
a  gold  ring-,  in  goodly  apparel^  and  there  come  in  also 
a  poor  man,  in  vile  raiment ;  and  ye  have  respect  to 
him  that  weareth  the  gay  clothing,  and  say  unto  him 
Sit  thou  here,  in  a  good  place ;  and  say  to  the  poor, 
Stand  thou  there,  or  Sit  thou  here,  under  my  foot- 
stool ;  are  ye  not  then  partial  in  yourselves,  and  are 
become  judges  of  evil  thoughts  ?  —  But  if  ye  have 
respect  to  persons  ye  commit  sin."  (Lev.  xix.  15  ; 
Deut.  i.  16, 17  and  x.  16—18  and  xvi.  18—20 ;  2  Chron. 
xix.  6,  7  ;  Job  xxxiv.  17 — 28  and  xxxvii.  24  ;  Prov. 
xxiv.  23,  24  and  xxviii.  21;  Luke  xx.  21;  Acts  x.  34, 
35;  Rom.  ii.  5— 11;  Gal.  ii.  6;  Eph.  vi.  9;  Col.  iii. 
22_25 ;   James  ii.  1—9  ;    1  Pet.  i.  17.) 

These,  I  believe,  are  all  the  instances  in  which  the 
phrase  is  found  in  the  Bible,  with  the  exception  of  a 
single  passage  in  which  it  is,  perhaps,  improperly 
introduced  into  our  translation.  (2  Sam.  xiv.  14.)  And 
what  do  all  these  passages  prove  ?  that  when  God 
acts  in  the  character  of  a  judge,  or  when  he  distrib- 
utes reivards  and  punishments,  he  will  treat  men  ac- 
cording to  their  naked  character,  unbiassed  by  any 
other  consideration.  But  they  do  not  deny  the  dis- 
criminating influence  of  his  holy  sovereignty  iwfoiin- 
ing  that  character.  If  he  has  none  of  the  unjust  par- 
tialities of  a  wicked  judge  that  will  acquit  the  wicked 
and  condemn  the  righteous,  yet  has  he  not  a  right 
to  bestow  a  free  gift  on  whom  he  pleases  ?  It 
is  enough  for  us  to  know  that  the  exercise  of  his 
sovereignty  is  not  arbitrary,  nor  capricious,  nor 
influenced   by   private  partialities,   but  by  infinite 


236  ELECTIOIT. 

wisdom  and  love,  aiming  at  no  other  object  than  the 
general  happiness.  We  may  rest  assured  that  there 
is  a  good  reason  for  every  discrimination  which  he 
makes,  though  that  reason  is  not  explained  to  us. 
And  what  right  has  any  man  to  complain  ?  After 
salvation  is  provided  and  offered  and  refused,  does 
it  become  him  to  complain  that  he  is  not  forced  to 
accept  it  ?  Has  he  merited  salvation  and  that  con- 
straining influence  too,  that  he  thinks  himself  au- 
thorized to  complain  ?  Was  God  under  obligation 
to  provide  a  Saviour  ?  And  was  he  bound  more- 
over to  force  that  Saviour  upon  you?  The  truth  is, 
that  all  men  deserve  to  die  ;  none  having  any  claims 
on  God  for  life ;  every  part  of  salvation  is  a  free, 
unmerited  gift.  And  shall  not  God  have  the  com- 
mon liberty  of  a  man,  to  bestow  a  free  gift  on  whom 
he  pleases  ?  Who  is  injured  by  it  ?  The  least 
favored  of  his  rational  offspring  suffer  no  more  than 
they  deserve.  If  you  have  your  deserts  and  others 
have  more,  what  is  that  to  you  ?  Has  he  not  a  right 
fco  do  what  he  will  with  his  own  ? 

But  after  all,  there  is  one  class  of  men  to  whom 
this  doctrine  will  always  present  insuperable  difficul- 
ties. They  are  those  who  would  rather  reign  them- 
selves than  have  God  reign.  To  people  of  this 
description  the  doctrine  can  never  be  cleared  up,  — 
for  this  substantial  reason,  —  it  is  opposed  to  their 
wishes.  By  this  class  you  may  expect  to  be  often 
admonished  that  the  doctrine,  if  true,  ought  never 
to  he  preached  ;  because,  as  they  tell  you,  it  is  liable 
to  be  abused,  and  may,  they  fear,  discourage  men 


ELECTION.  237 

and  tempt  them  to  sit  down  without  an  effort.  And 
pray,  what  doctrine  is  not  liable  to  be  abused?  Must 
we  then  suppress  the  whole?  Tell  me  another 
thing.  Has  God  revealed  this  truth?  and  has  he 
done  it  for  the  benefit  of  the  world  ?  and  are  you 
wiser  than  God  ?  Has  he  anywhere  authorized  his 
ministers  to  cover  a  part  of  his  revelation  ?  If  not, 
can  your  advice  be  a  sufficient  warrant  ?  Do  you 
think  yourself  authorized  to  give  advice  in  a  case 
which  God  has  decided  ?  Take  a  little  more  liberty 
and  advise  the  author  of  the  Bible  to  recal  a  part  of 
his  revelation. 

But  shall  I  tell  you  some  of  the  ends  that  may  be 
answered  by  preaching  this  doctrine  ?  One  important 
end  is  to  detect  hearts  which  are  unwilling  that  God 
should  reign,  —  to  lay  open  those  smooth,  selfish 
spirits  which,  while  they  cry  hosanna,  are  hostile  to 
the  dominion  of  Jehovah.  The  more  fully  God  and 
the  system  of  his  government  are  brought  out  to 
view,  the  more  clearly  are  the  secrets  of  all  hearts 
revealed.  Another  end  is  to  show  the  world  their 
real  condition,  their  absolute  dependence,  and  what 
they  owe  to  the  grace  of  God.  If  it  is  a  fact  that 
sinners  are  so  obstinate  that  they  must  be  subdued, 
ought  they  not  to  know  it  ?  If  it  is  a  fact  that  God 
"  worketh  all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his  own 
will,"  shall  this  important  part  of  his  character  and 
administration  be  concealed  ?  If  his  eternal  cove- 
nant with  his  Son,  and  the  whole  economy  of  grace, 
are  what  they  have  been  represented,  shall  men  be 
kept  ignorant  of  truths  which  constitute  so  large  a 


238  ELECTION. 

part  of  the  glory  of  God  and  furnish  so  vast  a  pro- 
portion of  the  themes  of  their  everlasting  praise? 
Shall  not  sinners  be  told  that  every  part  of  their  sal- 
vation comes  from  God?  and  shall  not  saints  be 
allowed  to  know  who  has  made  them  to  differ? 
Shall  the  Church  lose  the  happiness  of  seeing  God 
on  the  throne,  and  the  immortal  interests  of  all  men 
in  his  hands?  Shall  not  a  universal  world  be  taught 
to  ascribe  their  whole  salvation  to  him,  and  to  lay 
their  honors  at  his  feet  ?  Tear  not  from  me,  —  I  had 
almost  said,  the  siveetest  truth  of  the  Christian  sys- 
tem. Deny  me  not  the  happiness  of  knowing  my 
obligations  and  blessing  my  Deliverer  !  Hide  not 
from  my  eyes  the  only  foundation  of  human  hope. 


LECTURE  X. 


THE  PLEA  OF  INABILITY  CONSIDERED. 
MATTHEW  XXV.  24—27. 

THEN  HE  WHICH  HAD  RECEIVED  THE  ONE  TALENT  CAME  AND 
SAID,  LORD,  I  KNEW  THEE  THAT  THOU  ART  A  HARD  MAN, 
REAPING  AVHERE  THOU  HAST  NOT  SOWN,  AND  GATHERING 
WHERE  THOU  HAST  NOT  STROWED  ;  AND  I  WAS  AFRAID 
AND  WENT  AND  HID  THY  TALENT  IN  THE  EARTH  :  LO  ! 
THERE  THOU  HAST  THAT  IS  THINE.  HIS  LORD  ANSWERED 
AND  SAID  UNTO  HIM,  THOU  WICKED  AND  SLOTHFUL  SER- 
VANT ;  THOU  KNEWEST  THAT  I  REAP  WHERE  I  SOWED  NOT, 
AND  GATHER  WHERE  I  HAVE  NOT  STROWED  !  THOU  OUGHT- 
EST  THEREFORE  TO  HAVE  PUT  MY  MONEY  TO  THE  EX- 
CHANGERS, AND  THEN  AT  MY  COMING  I  SHOULD  HAVE 
RECEIVED    MY    OAVN    WITH    USURY. 

There  is  a  certain  plea,  often  found  in  the  mouths 
of  sinners  who  hear  the  Gospel  faithfully  preached, 
the  falsity  and  wickedness  of  which  this  parable  was 
intended  to  expose.  The  plea  is,  that  God  requires 
more  than  they  are  able  to  perform ;  that  they  cannot 
change  their  own  hearts,  —  cannot  love  and  submit  to 
him.    And  this  they  urge  as  an  excuse  for  doing  nO' 


240  THE   PLEA   OF 

thing.  The  parable  represents  this  as  the  common 
retreat  of  every  sinner  under  the  Gospel.  It  divides 
the  Christian  world  into  two  parts  :  those  who  faith- 
fully improve  different  talents,  and  those  who  call 
God  a  hard  master.  It  puts  this  pretence  into  the 
mouth  of  every  castaway.  And  where  the  Divine  re- 
quirements are  clearly  urged,  this  is  the  plea  of  every 
unregenerate  man.  If  anything  was  wanting  to  com- 
plete the  proof  of  total  depravity,  this  universal  dispo- 
sition to  accuse  God,  would  furnish  the  supplement. 
The  plea  is  false^  impious^  ruinous^  insincere,  at  vari- 
ance ivith  other  things  uttered  by  the  same  lips,  and  self- 
condemning  if  true.  These  are  the  points  which  I 
shall  attempt  to  establish. 

1.  The  plea  is  false.  It  is  not  true  that  God  re- 
quires of  sinners  more  than  they  are  able  to  perform. 
It  is  not  true  that  they  cannot  love  and  submit  to  him. 
They  have  ample  power,  and  nothing  prevents  but 
their  desperate  wickedness. 

But  the  ability  which  is  ascribed  to  them  ought  to 
be  distinctly  explained.  It  is  a  natural  ability,  in  dis- 
tinction from  a  moral.  By  moral,  I  mean  that  which 
bears  relation  to  j^raise  or  blame.  Whatever  impedi- 
ment is  blamable,  is  a  moral  difficulty :  every  other  is 
natural.  Now  if  there  is  no  difficulty  in  the  way  of 
their  loving  and  submitting  to  God,  but  what  they 
are  to  blame  for,  there  is  no  natural  inability;  and 
if  there  is  no  natural  inability,  there  is  natural  poiver. 
If  nothing  hinders  but  what  is  a  moral  evil,  for  the 
existence  and  continuance  of  which  they  are  to  blame, 
then  there  is  no  natural  or  blameless  inability.    If  the 


INABILITY   CONSIDERED.  241 

impediment  is  moral  or  blameworthy,  it  cannot  be 
natural  or  blameless  :  and  where  there  is  no  natural 
inabilH//,  there  must  be  natural  poiver.  If  they  could 
readily  obey  were  there  no  faulty  cause  to  prevent, 
then  it  is  proper  to  &Sij  that  they  are  able.  This  i& 
agreeable  to  the  common  language  of  mankind,  and 
consonant  with  all  our  ideas  of  power  in  the  ordinary 
affairs  of  life.  If  nothing  but  wickedness  prevents 
the  performance  of  an  action,  common  sense  pro- 
nounces that  there  is  power.  If  nothing  but  stub- 
bornness prevents  a  child  from  walking,  you  say  he 
has  power  to  walk.  You  speak  difterently  if  he  is 
lame.  Where  the  difficulty  of  overcoming  an  inclina- 
tion is  very  great,  you  still  say  there  is  power.  You 
tell  the  drunkard  that  he  can  abandon  his  cups  ;  and 
if  he  denies,  you  have  only  to  drop  a  little  poison  into 
his  glass,  and  it  may  stand  by  him  untouched  for 
half  a  century.* 

*  You  ask  ^vliat  is  our  precise  meaning  and  aim  in  ascribing 
to  sinners  this  natural  ability  ?  We  certainly  do  not  mean  to  as- 
sert their  independence  on  God  for  holiness,  or  a  self-determining 
power  of  the  will.  Our  only  object  is,  to  make  out  a  complete 
basis  of  obligation  and  to  fix  the  charge  of  guilt,  —  guilt  always 
resulting  from  the  violation  of  obligations.  But  it  is  impossible  to 
fasten  upon  the  conscience  a  sense  of  obligation  without  making 
out  the  existence. of  a  power,  as  it  is  a  common  feeling  of  mankind 
that  they  cannot  be  bound  to  do  what,  with  the  best  dispositions, 
they  have  no  ability  to  perform.  And  it  happens  in  this  as  in  all 
other  cases,  that  that  which  is  the  basis  of  obligation,  may  prop- 
erly be  denominated  an  ability.  That  basis  is  the  faculties  of  a 
rational  soul.  "Wherever  these  faculties  exist,  there  is  one  whom 
21 


242  THE   PLEA   OF 

The  single  question  is,  whether  there  is  any  diffi- 
culty in  the  way  of  loving  God  but  what  sinners  are 
to  hlame^for  ?  As  they  possess  understanding,  will, 
and  affections,  and  are  capable  of  loving  and  hating, 
it  will  be  allowed  that  nothing  prevents  but  a  wrong 
temper  of  heart,  —  nothing,  (as  has  been  proved  in 

God  has  a  right  to  command,  and  if  he  disobeys  to  punish,  — 
none  the  less  for  his  dependence  on  him  for  holiness,  —  none  the 
less  for  his  depravity,  —  none  the  less  for  the  withholding  of  the 
Spirit.  Otherwise  how  could  Judas  be  sent  to  hell  ?  He  was 
dependent  on  God  for  holiness,  he  was  depraved,  no  Spirit  sanc- 
tified him.  and  yet  he  was  laid  under  obligations  by  the  divine 
law,  and  for  the  violation  of  those  obligations  he  was  sent  to  hell. 
His  obligations  had  no  other  basis  than  the  faculties  of  a  rational 
soul.  And  this  basis  of  obligation  may  be  properly  denomi- 
nated an  ability.  It  bears  the  same  relation  to  the  obligation  to 
serve  God,  that  the  muscular  strength  of  a  slave  does  to  the 
obligation  to  lift  a  weight  when  bidden  by  his  master.  Without 
it  no  obligation  can  be  imposed ;  with  it,  the  obligation  is  perfect. 
Further,  these  faculties,  combined  with  the  light  involved  in  the 
command,  constitute  exactly  a  power  to  love  and  serve  God  if  the 
heart  is  well  disposed.  Without  the  faculties  a  man  could  not  do 
this  even  were  it  possible  for  him  to  have  a  good  heart,  but  with 
the  faculties  he  can.  Who  will  doubt  that  Judas  could  have 
loved  and  served  God  if  his  heart  had  been  well  disposed.  Here 
then  is  a  capacity  or  power  which  leaves  nothing  in  the  way  but 
a  bad  heart,  throwing  all  the  blame  on  the  sinner  if  blame  can 
exist  in  the  universe.  And  shall  this  power  be  covered  up  by  a 
false  name,  leaving  the  horrid  impression  to  prevail  that  God 
commands  men  upon  penalty  of  eternal  death  to  do  what  they 
have  no  ability  to  perform  ?  If  you  call  these  faculties  a  power, 
you  only  use  the  word  as  it  is  used  in  all  the  common  concema 


INABILITY   CONSIDERED.  243 

former  lectures,)  but  supreme  selfishness,  producing 
an  implacable  opposition,  too  deep  and  powerful  to 
be  overcome  but  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  Now  is  this 
opposition  a  misfortune,  or  a  fault  ?  A  fault  surely : 
for  if  disinclination  excuses  from  duty,  all  the  sin  in 
the  universe  is  excused,  and  is  no  longer  sin.     If  in 

of  life.  We  seldom  mean  by  this  term  a  willingness,  and  never 
a  power  to  originate  a  disposition,  but  generally  a  capacity  to  do 
a  tiling  if  the  man  Is  so  inclined.  But  I  go  further.  Only  allow 
moral  to  signify  hearing  a  relation  to  praise  or  blame,  and  natural^ 
to  be  its  correlate  term,  (points  fully  established  by  the  authority 
of  good  use,)  and  there  is  no  avoiding  the  phrase  natural  ability. 
The  only  impediment  in  the  way  of  a  sinner's  loving  God  is  a  de- 
praved temper,  for  which  he  Is  wholly  to  blame.  If  this  is  an 
inability,  It  Is  a  blamable,  and  therefore  a  moral  one.  The  only 
inability  In  the  way.  If  any  exists,  Is  a  blamable  or  moral  one. 
Of  course  there  Is  no  inability  that  is  blameless  or  natural.  And 
if  there  Is  no  natural  inability,  there  must  be  natural  power. 

The  term  ability,  when  applied  to  this  subject,  expresses  only 
that  capacity  which  Is  the  basis  of  obligation.  Any  other  use  of 
the  word  in  this  connection  tends  only  to  confusion.  For  Instance, 
to  raise  the  question  whether  men  can  change  their  own  hearts, 
meaning,  not  whether  they  have  capacity  to  exercise,  but  whether 
they  have  abihty  to  originate  right  affections,  (a  work  which  be- 
longs to  God  even  in  the  hearts  of  the  holy  angels,)  is  only  turn- 
ing away  the  eye  from  that  ground  of  obligation  which  the  word 
ought  to  express  here,  and  utterly  confounding  the  term  as  ap- 
plied to  this  general  subject.  Let  It  mean  nothing  but  a  capacity 
which  is  the  basis  of  obligation,  and  the  use  of  It  Is  definite.  In- 
telligible, and  Important ;  let  It  mean  something  that  does  not 
belong  to  creatures,  or  anything  but  the  above,  and  It  only  per- 
plexes and  confounds. 


244  THE   PLEA   OF 

proportion  as  the  heart  is  opposed  to  right  it  is  ex- 
onerated from  blame,  God  cannot  make  a  creature 
capable  of  sinning.  If  sin  exists  anywhere  it  must 
be  in  the  heart.  The  motions  of  the  body,  considered 
otherwise  than  as  indications  of  the  heart,  bear  no 
more  relation  to  praise  or  blame  than  the  motions 
of  a  clock.  But  if  there  is  sin  in  the  heart,  it  must 
consist  in  the  opposition  of  the  heart  to  good.  If  that 
opposition,  (the  essence  of  all  possible  sin,)  is  really 
an  excuse,  then  sin  is  an  excuse  for  itself  and  is  no 
longer  sin, —  the  difference  between  sin  and  holiness 
is  nomore,  —  both  are  extinct  and  men  are  machines. 
If  disinclination  excuses  from  obedience,  then  every 
law  requiring  men  to  cross  their  inclinations  is  op- 
pression, and  punishment  is  tyranny.  Every  trace 
of  a  moral  government,  indeed  of  every  other 
government,  ought  to  be  obliterated,  and  but  one 
law  remain  to  the  universe,  and  that  be  for  every 
creature  to  do  as  he  pleases.  The  malignity  of 
devils  is  no  more  sinful  than  the  fury  of  lions,  and 
the  love  of  seraphs  no  more  praiseworthy  than  the 
mildness  of  lambs.  The  moral  Governor  has  lost 
his  throne,  and  is  no  more  than  a  shepherd  among  a 
flock  of  sheep  and  goats.  •  To  all  this  horrid  length 
you  are  pushed  the  moment  you  attempt  to  hold  up 
the  opposition  of  the  heart  to  God  as  an  excuse  in- 
stead of  a  crime,  —  the  moment  you  deny  it  to  be 
the  very  essence  of  all  sin. 

And  consider,  I  pray  you,  how  it  must  appear  to 
the  Majesty  of  heaven  and  earth  for  you  to  stand 
forth  and  plead  that  you  cannot  discover  any  "  form'* 


INABILITY    CONSIDERED.  245 

or  "  comeliness"  in  him  why  you  "  should  desire 
him."  —  Is  he  then  so  unlovely  that  a  rational  mind 
cannot  love  him  ?  What,  cannot  love  the  infinitely 
glorious  God,  your  Creator,  Preserver,  and  Re- 
deemer !  Have  you  such  a  heart  as  this  ?  And 
your  heart  is  i/ou  yourself.  Are  you  then  such  a 
wretch,  that  all  the  motives  which  three  worlds  pre- 
sent cannot  prevail  on  you  to  love  the  blessed  God? 
It  is  an  everlasting  blot  on  creation  that  a  second 
word  need  be  uttered  to  induce  men  to  love  that 
Being  whom  all  heaven  adore.  And  are  you  such 
a  wretch  that  all  the  motives  in  the  universe  cannot 
persuade  you,  and  you  must  be  compelled  ?  What 
an  eternal  reproach  to  the  name  of  man !  And  do 
you  offer  this  horrid  temper  as  your  excuse  ?  Is  this 
your  plea  ?  I  call  heaven  and  earth  to  witness  that 
this  is  pleading  guilty.  "  How  can  I  love  God  ?  " 
How  can  you  help  it  ?  How  is  it  possible  to  avoid 
loving  such  a  Being  ?  Cannot !  You  can  love 
everything  else.  You  can  love  sin^  the  most  loath- 
some of  objects.  And  is  it  harder  to  love  infinite 
loveliness  ?  How  think  you  this  plea  will  appear  at 
the  judgment  of  the  great  day?  When  God  shall 
arraign  you,  and  charge  you  with  being  his  enemy, 
and  you  shall  plead  that  you  loere  his  enemy,  and  so 
much  his  enemy  that  you  could  not  love  him,  what 
will  he  say  ?  Our  text  tells  you  what  he  will  say: 
"  Thou  wicked  and  slothful  servant  I"  and  will  then 
command  you  to  outer  darkness,  where  there  is 
weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth.  Have  you  risen  up 
against  God  and  the  universe,  and  committed  sins 


246  THE   PLEA   OF 

deserving  of  eternal  "  shame  and  contempt  ?  "  and 
do  you  now  ask,  how  can  I  repent  ?  How  can  you 
help  dying  with  shame  and  self-loathing  ?  What 
should  you  think  of  a  man  who  had  murdered  his 
father  and  mother,  and  could  not  be  sorry  ?  Has  the 
Son  of  God  died  to  redeem  you,  and  then  spread 
before  you  the  most  incontestible  proofs  of  his  mis- 
sion and  death  ?  and  can  you  not  believe  ?  Can  you 
not  make  one  thank-offering  to  dying  love?  Can 
you  not  help  being  his  enemy^  and  trampling  his 
blood  in  the  dust?  Are  you  such  a  monster  of 
ingratitude  and  wickedness  ?  And  do  you  still  ask, 
how  can  I  repent  ? 

You  admit,  in  general^  that  you  are  to  blame  for 
your  opposition  to  God;  but  it  has  risen  to  such  a 
pitch  that  you  cannot  subdue  it,  and  from  this  task  you 
think  you  ought  to  be  excused.  And  has  it  come  to 
this,  that  a  man  is  to  blame  for  committing  murder 
once,  but  if  he  commits  it  ten  times  and  forms  the 
habit,  he  may  murder  with  impunity  ?  Or,  to  confine 
the  view  to  operations  of  the  mind^  will  you  say  that 
a  man  is  to  blame  for  hating  his  neighbor  a  little^ 
but  if  he  hates  him  much  he  is  excused?  Is  it  not 
manifest  to  common  sense,  that  the  more  he  hates 
the  more  blamable  he  is  ?  And  on  the  same  princi- 
ple, if  the  sinner's  opposition  to  God  rises  so  high  as 
to  be  unconquerable  but  by  Divine  power,  he  is  on 
that  account  the  more  abominable  and  hell-deserving. 
And  does  he  think  to  plead,  in  extenuation,  the  very 
thing  that  aggravates  his  guilt  ? 

But  there  are  no  bounds  to  this  plea.     If  you  ac- 


INABILITY  CONSIDERED.  247 

cept  it  as  an  excuse  for  not  loving  and  submitting  to 
God,  and  only  exhort  the  sinner  to  be  convicted,  the 
same  plea  comes  up  again,  — he  cannot  convict  him- 
self. Press  him  to  be  awakened,  and  he  cannot  awaken 
himself.  Urge  him  to  a  serious  and  earnest  use  of 
means,  and  he  cannot  be  serious  and  earnest  of  him- 
self. Tell  him  to  try,  —  to  bind  his  thoughts  to  divine 
subjects,  and  he  cannot  bind  his  thoughts  himself. 
Quit  the  gi-ound  of  religion,  and  beseech  him  only  to 
govern  his  turbulent  passions,  arid  he  cannot ;  to  break 
his  bad  habits,  he  cannot;  to  resist  temptation,  he  can- 
not; to  break  away  from  wicked  companions,  he  can- 
not ;  to  avoid  swearing,  drunkenness,  uncleanness, 
still  he  cannot.  There  is  nothing  he  can  do,  but  sin 
with  all  his  might.  This  is  no  picture  of  the  fancy. 
At  all  these  points  men  have  stood,  and  are  daily 
standing,  to  protect  themselves  with  the  tyrant's  plea 
of  necessity.  And  which  of  the  whole  fraternity 
makes  out  the  best  excuse,  it  would  be  hard  to  de- 
termine. 

Not  one  of  you  would  admit  this  excuse  in  a  plea 
against  yourself.  If  one  should  indulge  a  spirit  of 
unreasonable  enmity  against  you,  you  would  hardly 
accept  it  as  an  apology,  that  he  hated  you  so  much 
that  he  cojdd  not  love  you.  When  the  plea  is  against 
you,  you  judge  one  way;  when  it  is/t>r  you,  another. 
How  manifest  it  is,  that  your  judgment  is  perverted 
and  blinded  by  selfishness.  From  that  prejudiced  tri- 
bunal I  appeal  to  common  sense.  Does  not  common 
sense  decide  that  men  are  without  excuse  for  hating 


248  THE  PLEA   OF 

the  greatest  and  best  of  beings?  And  if  you  allow 
the  Bible  to  enter  its  voice  in  a  question  between 
you  and  its  Author,  that  would  settle  every  doubt. 
The  Bible  uniformly  treats  the  evil  propensities  of  the 
heart  as  utterly  without  excuse.  It  everywhere  speaks 
in  terms  of  the  most  pointed  disapprobation  of  those 
who  are  lovers  of  their  own  selves,  lovers  of  the  world, 
lovers  of  pleasure,  proud,  high-minded,  envious,  \VTath- 
ful,  hard-hearted,  impenitent,unbelieving, without  love 
to  God.  If  men  are  not  to  blame  for  these  evils  of  the 
heart,  we  want  a  new  Bible,  a  new  moral  govern- 
ment, a  new  God. 

Only  grant  me  that  it  is  inexcusable  to  disobey  the 
positive  commands  of  God^ — commands  addressed  to 
you^  and  issued  in  full  view  of  all  your  embarrass- 
ments, and  it  is  settled  that  you  are  without  excuse 
for  not  instantly  loving  and  submitting  to  him.  That 
such  an  immediate  submission  is  required,  I  shall 
presently  show,  and  shall  now  assume.  Here,  then, 
is  a  state  of  things  which  must  bring  blame  on  the 
Lawgiver  or  on  you.  If  you  have  a  good  excuse  for 
not  obeying  these  commands,  they  ought  not  to  have 
been  issued,  and  then  the  blame  falls  on  him;  if  you 
have  no  excuse,  the  blame  rests  on  you.  I  know  you 
are  striving,  by  all  these  self-justifying  pleas,  to  fasten 
it  on  God ;  but  I  shall  deem  it  no  assumption,  after 
all  that  has  been  said,  if  I  clear  my  Maker  and  lay 
the  blame  on  you. 

This  brings  me  to  the  end  of  my  argument,  and 
shows  that  there  is  no  difficulty  in  the  way  but  what 


INABILITY  CONSIDERED.  249 

you  are  to  blame  for,  —  none,therefore,but  of  amoral 
nature,  —  therefore  no  natural  inabil it?/,  —  of  course, 
you  must  have  natural  power. 

Having  arrived  at  this  conclusion,  I  shall  proceed 
to  confirm  it  by  other  considerations.  The  Bible  (if 
you  will  allow  me  to  quote  that  authority  in  a  con- 
troversy between  you  and  its  Author)  represents  men 
as  possessed  of  natural  power,  and  ascribes  all  their 
embarrassment  to  the  depravity  of  their  hearts  or 
wills.  "  O,  foolish  people  and  without  understand- 
ing, which  have  eyes,  and  see  not,  which  have  ears  and 
hear  not^  "  Thou  dwellest  in  the  midst  of  a  rebel- 
lions  house,  which  have  eyes  to  see  and  see  not,  they 
have  ears  to  hear  and  hear  not,  for  they  are  a  re- 
bellious HOUSE."  "  Bring  forth  the  blind  people  that 
have  eyes,  and  the  deaf  WidX  have  earsP  "They  are 
like  the  deaf  adder  that  stoppeth  her  ears ;  which  ivill 
not  hearken  to  the  voice  of  the  charmers,  charming 
never  so  wisely."  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  —  In  return- 
ing and  rest  shall  ye  be  saved ;  in  quietness  and  in 
confidence  shall  be  your  strength,  and  ye  luould  not.^^ 
"  Ye  luill  not  come  to  me  that  ye  might  have  life." 
"  How  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  to- 
gether, even  as  a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under 
her  wings,  and  ye  ivould  not^  "  Those  my  enemies, 
which  would  not  that  I  should  reign  over  them,  bring 
hither  and  slay  them  before  me."  "  Tliis  is  the  con- 
demnation, that  light  is  come  into  the  world,  and  men 
loved  darkness  rather  than  lig'ht,  because  their  deeds 
ivere  evil.  For,  every  one  that  doth  evil  hateth  the  light, 
neither  cometh  to  the  light,  lest  his  deeds  should  be  re- 


250  THE   PLEA   OF 

proved^  The  moral  Governor  everywhere  disclaims 
the  principle  of  requiring  men  to  go  beyond  their 
power.  "  If  there  be  first  a  willing  mind  it  is  accepted, 
according  to  that  a  man  hath^  and  not  according  to  that 
he  hath  notJ^  (Ps.  Iviii.  4,  5 ;  Isa.  xxx.  15  and  xliii.  8; 
Jer.  V.  21 ;  Ezek.  xii.  2  ;  Matt,  xxiii.  37 ;  Luke  xix. 
27 ;  John  iii.  19,  20  and  v.  40  ;  2  Cor.  viii.  12.) 

But  is  it  not  said,  "  No  man  can  come  to  me,  ex- 
cept the  Father  —  draw  him  ?"     I  answer :  the  Scrip- 
tures often  use  the  word  cannot  to  express  nothing 
more  than  a  strong  disinclination :  "Haste  thee,  escape 
thither,"  said  the  angel  to  Lot,  "  for  I  cannot  do  any- 
thing till  thou  be  come  thither."     Joseph's  brethren 
"hated  him  and  could  not  speak  peaceably  unto  him." 
"  The  tabernacle  of  the  Lord,  —  and  the  altar  of  the 
burnt-offering  were  —  at  Gibeon;  but  David  could 
not  go  before  it  to  inquire  of  God,  for  he  was  afraid, 
because  of  the  sword  of  the  angel  of  the    Lord." 
"  Can  that  which  is  unsavory  be  eaten  without  salt?" 
"  My  iniquities  have  taken  hold  upon  me,  so  that  I 
am  not  able  to  look  up."     "  I  am  so  troubled  that  I 
cannot  speak."  "  Then  said  the  Lord  unto  me,  Though 
Moses  and  Samuel  stood  before  me,  yet  my  mind 
could  not  be  towards  this  people.     "  Can  two  walk 
together  except  they  be  agreed  ?  —  The  Lord  hath 
spoken,  who  can  but  prophesy  ?"    "  How  can  ye,  being 
evil,  speak  good  things  ?  for  out  of  the  abundance  of 
the  heart  the  mouth  speaketh."     "  Ye  can  discern  the 
face  of  the  sky,  but  can  ye  not  discern  the  signs  of  the 
times  ?"    "  Having  eyes  full  of  adultery,  and  that  can- 
not cease  from  sin."    "  Can  the  children  of  the  bride- 


INABILITY  CONSIDERED.  251 

chamber  fast  while  the  bridegi-oom  is  with  them  ?  " 
"  This  is  a  hard  saying,  who  can  hear  it?"  In  none 
of  these  passages,  does  the  word  denote  anything 
more  than  a  strong  disinclination.  So  when  it  is  said, 
"  No  man  can  come  to  me^  except  the  Father  —  draw 
him,"  the  meaning,  as  it  is  explained  by  the  same 
lips,  is  only  this  :  "  Ye  ivill  not  come  to  me  that  ye 
might  have  life."  (Gen.xix.  22  and  xxxvii.  4;  1  Chron. 
xxi.  29,  30 ;  Job  vi.  6  ;  Ps.  xl.  12  and  Ixxvii.  4  ;  Jer. 
XV.  1;  Amos  iii.  3,  8  ;  Matt.  xii.  34  and  xvi.  3  ;  Mark 
ii.  19  ;   John  v.  40  and  vi.  44,  60.   2  Pet.  ii.  14.) 

Accordingly  the  Bible,  from  first  to  last,  treats  men 
as  possessed  of  ample  power.  It  invites  them  :  "  Look 
unto  me  and  be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth." 
"  The  Sph'it  and  the  bride  say.  Come;  and  let  him  that 
heareth  say.  Come ;  and  let  him  that  is  athirst  come ; 
and  ir/i056)everr^i7/,lethimtakethewater  of  life  freely." 
It  expostulates  with  them  :  "  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord, 
I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked,  but  that 
the  wicked  turn  from  his  way  and  live  :  turn  ye,  turn 
ye  from  your  evil  ways,  for  ivhy  ivill  ye  die,  O  house 
of  Israel?"  It  laments  over  them :  "  O  that  they  were 
wise !  that  they  would  consider  their  latter  end  I " 
"  He  beheld  the  city  and  wept  over  it,  saying.  If  thou 
hadst  known,  even  thou,  at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the 
things  which  belong  to  thy  peace !  but  now  they  are 
hid  from  thine  eyes."  (Deut.  xxxii.  29  ;  Isa.  xlv.  22  ; 
Ezek.  xxxiii.  11 ;  Luke  xix.  41,  42  ;  Rev.  xxii.  17.) 
And  after  all,  have  men  no  more  power  to  turn  to  God 
than  to  make  a  world  ?    Do  these  heavenly  entreaties 


252  THE   PLEA   OF 

only  mock  their  miseries  ?  Do  they  only  tantalize 
unhappy  prisoners,  bound  with  fetters  of  iron  ? 

But  this  is  not  the  worst.  God  absolutely  commands 
sinners  to  love  and  submit  to  him,  to  repent  and  be- 
lieve the  Gospel.  The  law,  which  was  "  not  made  for 
a  righteous  man,  but  for  the  lawless  and  disobedient," 
which  "was  added  because  of  transgressions,"  says 
to  every  sinner,  "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God 
with  all  thy  heart  and  with  all  thy  soul  and  with  all 
thy  might."  And  what  says  the  Gospel?  "  God  now 
commandeth  all  men,  everywhere,  to  repent.^''  "Re- 
pent ye  and  believed  Sinners  are  even  commanded 
to  change  their  own  hearts  ;  that  is,  to  cease  to  hate 
and  begin  to  love.  "  Make  you  a  neiv  heart  and  a  new 
spirit^  for  why  ivill  ye  die?"  "  Circumcise  —  the  fore- 
skin of  your  hearts  "  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way, 
and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts^  '•'■Rend  your 
heart  and  not  your  garments."  '•''  Purify  your  hearts^ 
ye  double-minded."  (Deut.  vi.  5  and  x.  16  ;  Isa.  Iv.  7  ; 
Jer.  iv.  4  ;  Ezek.  xviii.  31 ;  Joel  ii.  13  ;  Mark  i.  15  ; 
Acts  xvii.  30  ;  Gal.  iii.  19  ;  1  Tim.  i.  9  ;  James  iv.  8.) 
These  things  God  commands ;  and  does  he  require 
impossibilities  ?  Then  sinners  have  got  their  case,  in 
the  long  dispute  which  they  have  been  carrying  on 
with  then*  Maker. 

Nor  is  this  all.  God  not  only  commands,  he  solemn- 
ly threatens  eternal  death  in  case  of  disobedience. 
"  If  any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  him 
be  anathema  maranatha."  "  Except  ye  repent,ye  shall 
all  likewise  perish."   "  He  that  helieveth  not,  shall  be 


INABILITY   CONSIDERED.  253 

damned."  He  not  only  threatens,  but  he  executes. 
He  actually  sends  sinners  to  eternal  perdition  for  no 
other  reason  than  because  they  do  not  obey  these 
commands.  And  still  are  they  unable  ?  Are  they 
eternally  punished  for  not  doing  impossibilities  ? 
What,  then,  do  you  make  of  God?  Were  you  to  see 
a  rnaster  beating  his  servant  a  whole  day  together 
for  not  lifting  a  mountain,  you  would  say  the  man 
was  mad.  And  does  God  lay  upon  his  creatures 
eternal  punishment  for  not  doing  what  is  utterly  im- 
possible ?  Is  this  the  God  whom  angels  love  and 
adore  ?     Nero  was  a  lamb  to  this. 

Some  have  attempted  to  justify  this  supposed  con- 
duct of  the  Most  High,  by  alleging  that  sinners  have 
destroyed  their  own  power ^  and  may  therefore  be  justly 
held  bound  to  do  all  that  they  originally  could.  "  If 
a  servant,"  say  they,  "  has  cut  off  his  hands  to  avoid 
labor,  may  not  his  master  still  require  his  task,  and 
daily  punish  him  for  neglecting  it?"  I  firmly  answer, 
no.  He  may  punish  him  for  disabling  himself;  (that 
is  the  ivhole  of  his  crime ;)  but  if  he  daily  abuses  the 
cripple  for  not  performing  his  task  after  it  has  become 
impossible,  he  is  a  tyrant  and  a  monster.  But  the 
case  is  still  stronger  when  you  take  into  account  the 
entailment  of  depravity.  The  servant  did  not  cut  off 
his  own  hands  :  his  mother,  in  a  sinful  enterprise,  fell 
with  him  before  he  was  born,  and  he  was  brought 
into  the  world  a  cripple :  and  now  he  must  be  un- 
mercifully punished,  every  day  of  his  life,  for  not 
employing  limbs  which  he  never  had.  Is  this  a  pic- 
ture of  the  moral  government  of  God !  Read  any 
22 


254  THE   PLEA   OF 

page  in  the  Bible,  and  then  say, — is  this  the  govern- 
ment which  that  book  describes  ? 

I  hear  some  one  say,  you  may  reason  me  down, 
but,  after  all,  it  is  a  matter  of  fact  that  I  cannot.  Hoiv 
do  you  knoio  this  ?  Did  you  ever  try  ?  Did  you  ever 
try  ivith  all  your  heart?  Have  you  ever  done  as  well 
as  you  could  for  a  single  hour?  For  a  single  hour  did 
you  ever  keep  your  thoughts  as  much  on  God  and 
exert  as  much  earnestness  in  prayer,  and  feel  as  kindly 
towards  God  and  man,  as  you  were  able  ?  Have  you 
done  this  for  a  whole  month  together?  Have  you  done 
it  through  life  ?  If  not,  it  is  not  for  you  to  complain 
that  you  have  no  power.  No  power?  Alas!  as  you 
use  power,  you  have  too  much.  You  have  power  to 
resist^  —  to  resist  so  vigorously  that  nothing  but  the 
arm  of  God  can  conquer  you.  This  is  the  only  thing 
that  prevents  you  from  loving  and  submitting  to  him. 
Do  you  not  resist  ?  Why,  it  is  as  plain  as  light  that  you 
will  not  even  be  convicted.  What  is  conviction  ?  It  is 
a  deep  sense  of  being  ivithout  excuse.  And,  when  we 
attempt  to  penetrate  you  with  this  sense,  here  you  are 
defending  yourself  against  it  with  all  your  might, — 
and  then  turn  and  complain  that  you  have  no  power. 
The  truth  itself  would  have  convicted  you  long  ago, 
if  you  had  not  resisted.  Like  the  ever-flowing  light 
of  heaven,  it  would  freely  have  come  in  at  your  win- 
dow, if  you  had  not  barred  the  passage.  "  This  is  the 
condemnation,  [not  that  you  cannot  obtain  light,  but] 
that  light  is  come  into  the  world,"  and  you  have  "  loved 
darkness  rather  than  light,  because  [your]  deeds  were 
evil.     For  every  one  that  doth  evil  hateth  the  light, 


INABILITY   CONSIDERED.  255 

neither  cometh  to  the  light,  lest  his  deeds  should  be 
reproved."  (John  iii.  19,  20.)  So  the  nightly  thief,  for 
whom  you  are  searching  in  your  apartments,  will 
endeavor  to  strike  the  lamp  from  your  hand,  lest  the 
light  should  detect  him.  The  truth  is,  you  cannot 
bear  to  take  the  blame  upon  yourself.  You  will  cast 
it  upon  Adam,  upon  God,-  anywhere  but  where  it 
ought  to  lie.  And  after  all  these  exertions  to  resist 
conviction,  you  will  make  a  long  list  of  excuses  for 
not  being  convicted,  and  lament  over  it  as  your  mis- 
fortune and  not  your  fault.  But  (to  turn  the  subject 
over,  for  another  view)  pray  what  prevents  that  deep 
sense  of  divine  things  which  is  the  conviction  itself, 
but  your  unbelief  ?  And  is  unbelief  to  be  admitted 
as  an  excuse  for  stupidity  ?  Does  God  regard  it  in 
the  light  of  an  excuse  ?  No,  he  charges  it  upon  you 
as  your  own  proper  crime,  a  crime  of  the  deepest  dye. 
He  pronounces  it  worthy  of  eternal  rebuke,  and  sol- 
emnly declares,  "  He  that  believeth  not  shall  be  dam- 
nedy  Such  is  the  enemy  which  bars  your  heart  against 
conviction  ;  and  when  an  attempt  is  made  to  dislodge 
the  foe,  you  stand  forward  to  protect  it  by  your  thou- 
sand excuses ;  and  then  say,  you  would  give  the  world 
to  be  convicted,  but  have  no  power. 

2.  This  plea  is  impious.  It  casts  all  the  infamy 
of  the  sinner's  rebellion  on  God,  and  imputes  to  him 
a  character  which  the  veriest  tyrant  on  earth  would 
blush  to  own,  —  a  character,  I  may  say,  as  black  as 
Satan  himself.  The  language  is,  "  I  knew  thee  that 
thou  art  a  hard  master,  requiring  more  than  thy 
creatures    can   perform,   and    punishing  them  with 


256  THE   PLEA   OF 

eternal  torment  for  not  doing  impossibilities.  By 
offering  life  on  such  conditions,  thou  hast  only- 
mocked  my  misery ;  and  though  I  must  suffer  for- 
ever, I  still  afhrm  that  for  missing  salvation  I  am 
not  to  blame."  The  great  point  in  dispute  between 
you  and  your  Maker  is,  who  shall  bear  the  blame. 
He  lays  it  upon  you,  you  cast  it  upon  Him.  On 
this  question  the  parties  are  fairly  at  issue.  Blame, 
absolutely  in/imte,  must  attach  to  one  or  the  other ; 
because  endless  misery  is  actually  threatened  and 
inflicted.  If  that  misery  is  not  deserved,  infinite 
blame  attaches  to  him  who  inflicts  it ;  if  it  is  de- 
served, infinite  guilt  rests  on  the  sufferer.  God 
declares  that  he  will  lay  all  this  evil  upon  you  for 
not  making  to  yourself  a  new  heart,  not  loving  and 
submitting  to  him,  not  repenting  and  believing  the 
Gospel.  In  this  he  charges  infinite  guilt  on  you. 
You  affirm  that  you  cannot  perform  these  duties 
and  are  not  to  blame  for  the  neglect.  In  this  you 
accuse  him  of  being  the  greatest  tyrant  that  ever 
alarmed  a  distempered  imagination.  Here  then  is 
perfect  war.  No  two  men  were  ever  more  earnestly 
at  strife.  And  yet  you  say  you  are  not  his  enemy. 
I  appeal  to  the  universe  if  this  is  not  enmity  and 
war,  if  this  is  not  hig-Ji  treason  against  God  in  its 
most  horrid  form. 

3.  This  plea  is  ruinous.  It  is  only  an  exertion  to 
steel  your  conscience  against  a  sense  of  blame  ;  and 
while  you  succeed  you  never  can  be  convicted. 
While  you  say  you  cannot^  you  never  can.  The 
main  difficulty  in   the  way   of  conviction,   and  of 


INABILITY   COXSIDERED.  257 

course  one  grand  impediment  in  the  way  of  conver- 
sion, is  this  very  plea.  The  removal  of  it  is  the  con- 
viction itself.  The  removal  of  it  is  therefore  clearing 
away  one  of  the  greatest  obstructions  to  your  salva- 
tion. This  obstruction  must  be  removed.  You  must 
take  the  shame  and  blame  to  yourself  and  clear  your 
Maker,  or  nothing  can  ever  be  done  for  you.  While 
you  are  striving  to  cover  yourself  with  this  excuse, 
you  know  not  what  you  do ;  you  are  taking  the 
readiest  way  to  ruin  yourself  forever.  If  you 
would  not  perpetrate  the  highest  act.  of  suicide, 
court  this  conviction,  lie  down  under  a  sense  that 
you  are  without  excuse,  and  draw  it  upon  you 
with  all  your  might.  This  is  the  first  step  that  you 
can  take.  If  you  will  not  take  this,  but  will  stand 
justifying  yom*self  till  you  die,  you  must  inevitably 
perish. 

4.  The  plea  is  insincere.  The  worst  of  it  all  is, 
that  after  so  long  abusing  your  Maker  with  these 
horrid  charges,  you  do  not  believe  a  word  of  them 
yourself.  If  you  did,  you  would  not  remain  so  un- 
moved ;  you  would  be  overwhelmed  with  terror  and 
dismay.  "Were  a  man  locked  up  in  a  burning  house? 
and  knew  the  key  to  be  in  the  hands  of  a  merciless 
tyrant,  you  would  not  see  him  folding  his  arms 
and  walking  at  his  ease  about  the  apartments. 
When  we  see  your  knees  smite  like  Belshazzar's, 
we  shall  begin  to  believe  you  sincere.  But  while 
you  continue  sporting  along  the  road  of  life,  without 
one  anxious  thought  of  God  or  eternity,  we  know 
that  your  plea  is  nothing  but  a  pretence  to  protect 
22* 


258  TEE   PLEA    OF 

your  stupidity.  You  do  not  even  believe  that  you 
are  dependent.  Would  to  God  you  did.  You  would 
not  then  treat  the  Sovereign  of  the  universe  with  all 
this  abuse.  You  would  not  thus  boldly  cast  off  fear 
and  restrain  prayer.  We  should  hear  you  crying  for 
mercy  with  the  earnestness  of  a  dying  man.  But 
the  insincerity  of  this  plea  will  be  still  more  evident 
when  we  consider, 

5.  How  much  at  variance  it  is  with  other  things 
uttered  by  the  same  lips.  At  the  moment  you  urge 
this  excuse,  you  deny  the  doctrine  of  election.  Now 
if  what  you  say  is  true,  that  you  are  as  unable  to 
obey  the  Gospel  as  a  dead  man  is  to  rise,  certainly 
your  salvation  depends  on  God;  and  if  he  is  ?m- 
chang-eable,  it  depends  on  his  eternal  will  or  decree ; 
and  this  is  election.  The  doctrine  of  election  follows 
from  your  plea  in  a  far  more  terrific  form  than  that 
in  which  I  have  presented  it.  And  yet  you  urge  the 
plea  and  reject  the  doctrine.  You  will  neither  con- 
sent to  have  power  yourself,  nor  leave  your  fate  with 
God.  If  we  say  you  have  poiver,  and  urge  you  to  act, 
you  deny,  and  plead  your  inability  as  an  excuse  for 
doing  nothing.  If  we  say  you  are  dependent,  though 
in  a  far  inferior  sense,)  and  speak  of  election,  (which  is 
an  inevitable  consequence  of  your  dependence,)  you 
again  deny  and  complain.  My  dear  hearer,  what  do 
you  want  ?  "  We  have  piped  unto  you  and  ye  have 
not  danced ;  we  have  mourned  unto  you,  and  ye 
have  not  lamented."  You  will  neither  have  it  that 
you  can  turn  yourself,  nor  that  it  depends  on  the 
eternal  unchangeable  God  to  turn  you.     How  then 


INABILITY   CONSIDERED.  259 

would  you  have  it?  You  plainly  know  not  your 
own  mind,  and  seem  settled  in  nothing  but  to  resist 
every  truth  that  happens  to  displease  you.  To  en- 
gage in  the  divine  service,  is  loathsome,  and  that  you 
will  not  do ;  to  bear  the  blame  of  refusing,  you  can- 
not consent ;  and  therefore  you  take  shelter  in  the 
plea  of  inability:  to  be  dependent  on  God's  eternal 
choice,  is  insufferable  to  your  feelings,  (though  this 
unavoidably  follows  from  your  own  plea ;)  and  there- 
fore you  oppose  election.  The  three  things  which 
you  desire  are  these,  —  to  be  excused  from  the  divine 
service,  to  be  exonerated  from  the  blame  of  neglect- 
ing it,  and  to  hold  your  fate  in  your  own  hands. 
When  you  would  avoid  the  imputation  of  blame, 
you  are  willing  to  have  no  power ;  but  as  little  power 
as  you  have,  you  insist  on  deciding  your  own  fate. 
We  may  explain  election  till  we  die,  and  so  long  as 
we  leave  your  destiny  in  the  hands  of  a  sovereign  God, 
you  are  not  satisfied.  We  may  heap  proof  upon  proof 
to  establish  the  point  of  your  ability,  and  so  long  as 
the  argument  attaches  blame  to  you,  you  are  not 
convinced.  Whenever  you  are  brought  to  a  serious 
concern  about  religion,  then  indeed  the  case  is  some- 
what altered.  Then  your  sole  desire  is  to  be  suffered 
to  do  something  short  of  love  and  faith.)  and  to 
induce  God  by  that  means  to  change  your  heart  and 
save  your  soul.  To  be  told  that  you  cannot  induce 
him  by  such  a  withered  offering,  gives  you  distress; 
to  be  urged  to  do  more.,  you  will  not  consent.  But 
let  me  tell  you  that  this  hope  of  moving'  God  by  any 
act  that  does  not  rest  on   Christ.,  is  the  very  defini- 


260  THE    PLEA   OF 

tion  of  self-rig-Iiteousness.  Yet  here  you  linger,  and 
here  you  wish  ministers  to  leave  you.  But  if  we 
leave  you  there,  you  are  undone.  If  that  self- 
righteousness  is  not  torn  from  you,  it  will  forever 
keep  you  from  Christ.  We  must  still  follow  you 
with  loud  and  repeated  warnings  not  to  stop  short 
of  a  full  reliance  on  the  Mediator ;  and  when  you 
refuse,  we  must  show  you  that  your  obstinacy  casts 
you  dependent  on  sovereign  grace.  And  when  we 
do  this  you  will  probably  say  that  we  contradict 
ourselves,  and  preach  that  you  cmi  and  that  you 
cannot. 

6.  This  plea,  if  it  were  true,  ivould  only  condemn 
you.  It  was  a  miserable  excuse  for  the  slothful 
servant,  that  because  he  expected  his  lord  would 
require  exorbitant  interest  he  had  taken  care  that 
he  should  have  none.  Was  this  the  way  to  deal 
with  a  hard  master  who  had  him  in  his  power?  The 
plea  condemned  himself.  If  it  were  true,  he  ought 
to  have  put  his  money  to  the  exchangers,  and 
swelled  the  amount  to  the  last  limit  of  his  power. 
Sinner,  this  retort  was  intended  for  you.  If  you 
have  a  master  in  heaven  who  requires  more  than 
you  can  perform,  is  this  a  good  reason  why  you 
should  do  nothing  ?  why  you  should  do  so  much 
against  him  ?  Is  it  a  good  reason  why  you  should 
never  pray  in  your  family,  and  seldom  in  your  closet? 
why  you  should  not  look  into  your  Bible  once  a 
week  ?  why  you  should  never  attend  a  religious 
meeting  except  on  the  Sabbath,  and  then  perhaps 
but  once  a  day?     If  you  cannot  change  your  heart, 


INABILITY    CONSIDERED.  261 

are  you  therefore  obliged  to  push  God  out  of  all 
your  thoughts  ?  to  feel  so  little  reverence  for  him 
and  his  institutions?  to  profane  his  holy  day?  to 
utter  so  many  cavils  against  his  word?  to  violate  so 
often,  in  your  dealings  and  conversation,  the  rule  of 
doing  to  others  as  you  would  have  others  do  to 
you  ?  to  utter  so  much  slander  and  profanity  ?  and 
to  commit  in  various  ways  so  many  positive  sins  ? 
To  live  altogether  to  yourself,  and  never  regard  his 
glory  at  all  ?  —  Is  this  the  way  to  treat  a  hard  mas- 
ter who  has  you  in  his  power  ?  Out  of  thine  own 
mouth  shalt  thou  be  judged,  thou  wicked  and  sloth- 
ful servant.  If  your  plea  is  true,  your  conduct  is 
mad. 

Thus  I  have  finished  what  was  proposed.  I  have 
shown  that  this  allegation  against  God  is  false,  is 
impious,  is  ruinous,  is  insincere,  is  at  variance  with 
other  things  uttered  by  the  same  lips,  and  is  self- 
condemning  if  true.  And  now  suffer  me  to  beseech 
those  of  you  who  remain  in  sin,  to  renounce  this 
God-provoking  plea  and  acknowledge  yourself  infi- 
nitely to  blame  for  not  being  convicted,  for  not 
instantly  performing  the  duties  of  repentance  and 
faith.  Between  the  full  charge  contained  in  this 
horrid  plea,  and  this  frank  acknowledgment,  there  is 
no  middle  ground.  It  is  undeniable  that  for  only 
remaining  unconverted,  I  may  say  unconvicted,  this 
one  hour  in  the  house  of  God,  you  deserve  eternal 
death.  And  will  you  still  attempt  to  justify  your- 
selves and  cast  the  blame  on  him  ?  After  he  has 
given  you  full  power  to  serve   him,  and  redeemed 


262  THE    PLEA    OF   INABILITY   CONSIDERED. 

you  from  death,  and  offered  you  life,  and  pressed  it 
upon  you,  and  granted  you  abundant  light,  and  you 
have  resisted  all,  shall  he  bear  the  blame,  and  you 
be  excused  ?  Do  you  insist  on  this  ?  Then  you  and 
your  Maker  are  at  open  war.  And  the  contest  must 
last  forever,  or  one  of  the  parties  must  yield.  Shall 
God  submit  to  you,  or  will  you  submit  to  him  ?  If 
this  controversy  goes  to  trial  at  the  last  day,  I  fore- 
warn you  now  that  the  case  will  go  against  you. 
The  sentence  of  every  holy  being  in  the  universe 
will  be  against  you.  The  conscience  of  every  repro- 
bate, —  your  own  conscience,  —  will  be  against  you. 
O  agree  with  your  adversary  quickly,  while  you  are 
in  the  way  with  him.  "  As  though  God  did  beseech 
you  by  us,  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye 
reconciled  to  God." 

I  have  told  you  your  duty ;  and  for  neglecting  it 
you  have  no  excuse.  But  well  I  know  that  till  the 
grace  of  God  subdues  you,  your  obstinacy  will  resist 
all  entreaties.  This  casts  you  at  last,  ruined^  utterly 
ruined,  5g//-ruinedj  on  the  sovereign  will  of  God,  — 
a  will  which  all  creation  cannot  change.  At  the 
moment  you  are  supporting  this  impious  warfare 
with  your  Maker,  mortal  man,  you  are  altogether  in 
his  hands !  If  he  but  frown,  you  die.  In  that  con- 
dition I  leave  you,  —  with  these  words  ringing  in 
your  ears,  "  O  Israel,  thou  hast  destroyed  thyself,  but 
in  ME  is  thy  help.^^  O  Israel,  thou  hast  destroyed  thy- 
self  but  in  me  alone  is  thy  help.     Amen. 


LECTURE     XI 


PERSEVERANCE  OF  SAINTS. 
ROMANS  viii.  30. 

WHOM  HE  DID  PREDESTINATE,  THEM  HE  ALSO  CALLED  ; 
AHD  WHOM  HE  CALLED,  THEM  HE  ALSO  JUSTIFIED  ;  AND 
WHOM    HE    JUSTIFIED,    THEM    HE    ALSO    GLORIFIED. 

After  what  has  been  proved  in  former  lectures 
in  regard  to  election,  the  question  respecting  the 
perseverance  of  the  saints  is  reduced  to  this  :  Are 
any  regenerated  besides  the  elect?  For  if  none  but 
the  elect  are  regenerated,  none  of  the  regenerate  can 
finally  apostatize.  I  presume  no  good  reason  can  be 
given  why  any  should  be  "  created  in  Christ  Jesus 
nnto  good  works,"  who  are  not  to  be  "  kept  by  the 
power  of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation  ;" — why 
any  should  be  raised  from  the  dead  only  to  return  to 
their  graves.  But  our  text  puts  this  question  to  rest. 
Here  we  are  plainly  taught  that  all  who  are  elected 
are  effectually  called ;    that  all  who  are  effectually 


264  PERSEVERANCE 

called  are  justified;  that  all  who  are  justified  are 
glorified ;  therefore,  that  the  elect  alone  are  regener- 
ated, and  that  all  who  are  regenerated  are  finally 
saved.  The  apostle  introduces  the  subject  by  saying, 
"  We  know  that  all  things  work  together  for  good, 
[for  salvation,  not  for  destruction,]  to  them  that  love 
God,  to  them  who  are  the  called  according-  to  his 
purpose.  For  whooi  he  did  foreknow,  [  as  his  oivn^ 
not  as  being  holy  ;  for  the  predestination  ivhich  fol- 
lowed appointed  them  to  this  character^]  he  also  did 
predestinate  to  he  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  jSon, 
that  he  might  be  the  first-born  among  many  breth- 
ren. Moreover,  whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he 
also  called ;  and  whom  he  called,  them  he  also 
justified ;  and  whom  he  justified,  them  he  also 
glorified."  The  apostle  then  breaks  forth  into  this 
triumphant  language :  "  Who  shall  separate  us  from 
the  love  of  Christ  ?  shall  tribulation,  or  distress,  or 
persecution,  or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or  peril,  or 
sword  ?  —  Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are  more  than 
conquerors  through  him  that  loved  us.  For  I  am 
persuaded  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels, 
nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present, 
nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any 
other  creature  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from 
the  love  of  God  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our 
Lord."  Here  you  see  joined  in  one  chain  four 
indissoluble  links,  namely :  election,  effectual  calling, 
justification,  and  glorification.  The  elect  only  are 
effectually  called,  and  all  that  are  effecutually  called 
are  glorified. 


OF   SAINTS.  265 

With  this  passage  before  us,  it  becomes  manifest 
that  the  doctrine  of  perseverance  stands  inseparably- 
connected  with  that  of  election.  If  one  has  been  estab- 
lished, the  other  follows  of  course.  And  since  the  be- 
ginning of  the  world,  I  know  not  that  any  one  in  his 
senses  ever  doubted  of  the  perseverance  of  the  saints, 
who  believed  in  absolute  personal  election. 

In  another  point  of  view,  the  foregoing  lectures  have 
prepared  the  way  for  a  ready  belief  of  this  article. 
They  have  made  it  apparent  that,  in  every  step  to- 
wards salvation,  God  moves  first,  and  the  creature  af- 
terivards,  —  that  men  advance  just  as  far  as  they  are 
propelled  by  Divine  power,  and  no  farther.  The  most 
negligent  go  thus  far,  because  God  is  stronger  than 
they ;  the  most  vigilant  go  no  farther,  because  in  them, 
that  is  in  then*  flesh,  dwelleth  no  good  thing.  The  dif- 
ference between  the  slothful  and  the  diligent  is  made 
entirely  by  Divine  influence.  If  then  any  of  the  re- 
generate apostatize,  it  is  because  God  changes  his 
conduct  towards  them  and  withdraws  his  influence. 
Now  they  who  have  maintained  the  hypothesis  of 
falling  from  grace,  have  always  told  you  that  the 
Christian  breaks  away  from  God,  not  God  from  him, — 
that  till  ive  first  forsake  God,  he  ivill  fiever  forsake  us; 
thus  placing  in  the  creature  the  reason  that  the  Di- 
vine influence  does  not  continue  to  be  effectual.  But 
the  truth  is,  that  influence  does  continue  to  be  effectual 
as  long  as  it  is  exerted,  (as  has  been  proved  in  former 
lectures ;)  and  if  the  Christian  apostatizes,  it  is  be- 
cause that  influence  first  forsakes  him.  The  old  na- 
ture is  so  averse  to  the  heavenly  course,  that  the  best 

23 


266  PERSEVERANCE 

man  will  not  advance  a  step  farther  then  he  is  pro- 
pelled ;  and  so  far  the  worst  will  certainly  go ;  for 
God's  propelling  hand,  if  it  does  anything^  overcomes 
the  resistance  and  makes  his  people  willing  in  the  day 
of  his  power.  As  far  as  his  sanctifying  influence  is 
exerted,  it  always  produces  this  effect.  None  are  wil- 
ling, farther  than  God  makes  willing ;  all  are  wil- 
ling thus  far.  If  any  cease  to  be  willing  and  apos- 
tatize, it  is  because  God  ceases  to  make  them  willing. 
The  change  must  commence  on  his  part.  No  one,  I 
believe,  with  this  view  of  Divine  and  human  agency, 
ever  doubted  of  the  perseverance  of  the  saints. 

The  question,  then,  really  comes  to  this :  does  God, 
after  changing  the  hearts  of  sinners,  relinquish  the 
work  which  he  has  begun  ?  and  that,  too,  as  the^r5^ 
mover  in  this  process  of  undoing,  and  without  any 
special  cause  given  him  by  the  creature  ?  I  say,  with- 
out any  special  cause  given  hiin  by  the  creature  ; 
for  such  a  special  cause  presupposes  the  partial  with- 
drawment  of  his  influence.  The  best  man  sins  just 
as  far  as  God  leaves  him,  and  opportunity  and  mo- 
tives occur ;  as  far  as  God's  sanctifying  influence  is 
exerted,  the  worst  man  is  preserved  from  sin.  Any 
special  sinfulness  in  a  Christian,  therefore,  presup- 
poses the  partial  withdrawment  of  that  influence. 
Does  God,  then,  as  the  first  mover  in  this  retrograde 
course,  and  unprovoked  by  any  special  offence,  with- 
draw from  a  work  which  he  has  begun  ?  This  is  the 
fair  and  precise  statement  of  the  question.  Not 
whether  he  will  keep  us  if  we  remain  faithful^  but 
whether  he  will  contitiue  to  make  us  faithful.    Not 


OF   SAINTS.  267 

whether  he  will  desert  us  if  lue  provoke  him,  but 
whether  he  ivill  suffer  ns  to  provoke  him  thus  far.  Not 
what  his  agency  will  be  as  consequent  to  ours,  but 
what  our  agency  will  be  as  consequent  to  his.  He  be- 
gan the  work  when  there  was  nothing  in  the  creature 
to  induce  him,  but  everything  to  dissuade ;  will  he  dis- 
continue the  work  when  there  is  less  to  dissuade  than 
at  first  ?  In  a  word,  will  he  begin  a  work,  uninduced 
by  the  creature ;  and,  uninduced  by  the  creature,  and 
even  less  provoked,  will  he  desert  it  ? 

This  question,  however,  cannot  be  decided  by  rea- 
son ;  it  must  be  settled  by  revelation  alone.  Nor  can 
it  be  determined  by  the  general  benevolence  of  God, 
even  as  set  forth  in  that  revelation  ;  for,  in  that  exhi- 
bition he  sustains  the  character  of  One  who  has,  in 
fact,  withdrawn  his  influence  and  left  perfectly  holy 
beings  to  fall.  No  instance  indeed  is  known,  (if  the 
case  under  consideration  is  not  one,)  of  his  having 
begun  to  sanctify  sinners,  and  withdrawn  from  the 
work.  But,  after  all,  the  question  turns  on  what  he 
has  proniised, —  on  the  positive  stipulations  in  his 
covenant  with  his  Son  and  with  his  people.  If  he  did 
in  fact  promise  his  Son  an  elect  seed,  and  inscribed 
their  names  in  the  book  of  life,  before  the  foundation 
of  the  world ;  if  he  promised  him  that  they  "  should 
never  perish,"  that  none  should  "  pluck  them  out  of 
[his]  hand,"  "that  of  all  which  he"  had  "given"  him 
he  "  should  lose  nothing,  but  should  raise  it  up  again 
at  the  last  day ;"  (John  vi.  39  and  x.  3—5, 11, 14—16, 
26 — 29)  if  none  but  the  elect  are  regenerated,  as  our 
text  expressly  declares ;  and  if  the  covenant  made 


268  PERSEVERANCE 

\^ith  Christians  engages  infallibly  to  keep  them  from 
apostasy  ;  then  the  perseverance  of  the  saints  is  se- 
cured beyond  a  possibility  of  failure. 

That  such  a  covenant  was  made  with  Christ,  in  be- 
half of  his  elect,  was  proved  in  a  former  lecture,  (p.  216, 
217,)  and  is  confirmed  by  the  texts  just  now  quoted. 
That  compact  you  may  see  more  largely  displayed  in 
the  eighty-ninth  Psalm,  under  the  typical  form  of  a 
covenant  with  David.  "  I  have  made  a  covenant  with 
my  Chosen  :  thy  seed  will  I  establish  forever. — Then 
thou  spakest  in  vision  to  thy  Holy  One,  and  saidst,  I 
have  laid  help  upon  One  that  is  mighty ;  I  have  ex- 
alted One  chosen  out  of  the  people.  His  seed,  also, 
will  I  make  to  endure  forever:  if  Ms  children  forsake 
my  law  and  ivalk  not  in  my  judgments  ;  if  they  break  my 
statutes  and  keep  not  my  commandments  ;  then  iviUIvisit 
their  transgression  ivith  the  rod  and  their  iniquity  with 
stripes  ;  nevertheless^  my  loving  kindness  idlllnot  utterly 
take  from  him,  nor  suffer  my  faithfulness  tofaiV^  Such 
was  the  everlasting  covenant ;  and  one  of  the  con- 
tracting parties,  when  he  was  on  earth,  (that  beloved 
Son,  who  never  asked  in  vain,)  did,  in  the  most  sol- 
emn and  formal  manner,  in  his  official  character, 
lodge  in  heaven  a  prayer  for  the  safe  keeping  of  all 
this  elect  seed,  to  the  end  of  the  world  :  "  Glorify  thy 
Son,  that  thy  Son  also  may  glorify  thee.  As  thou 
hast  given  him  power  over  all  flesh,  that  he  should 
give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou  hast  g-iven  him.  — 
I  pray  for  them  ;  I  pray  not  for  the  world  but  for  them 
which  thou  hast  given  me. — Holy  'Father,  keep  through 
thine  oivn  name  those  ivhom  thou  hast  given  me,  that 


OF  SAINTS.  269 

ihey  may  he  one  as  we  are.  I  pray  not  that  thou 
shouldst  take  them  out  of  the  world,  but  that  thou 
shouldst  toj:*  them  from  the  evil. — Sanctify  them  through 
thy  truth. — Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone,  hut  for  them 
also  ivhich  shall  helieve  on  me  through  their  word;  that  they 
ALL  may  he  one,  as  thou.  Father,,  art  in  me  and  Tin  thee, 
that  they  also  may  he  one  in  us. — And  the  glory  which 
thou  gavest  me  I  have  given  them,  that  they  may  be 
one  even  as  we  are  one ;  I  in  them  and  thou  in  me, 
that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  one,  and  that  the 
world  may  know  that  thou  —  hast  loved  them  as  thou 
hast  loved  me,  —  Father,  I  will  that  they  also  whom  thou 
hast  given  me  he  with  me  where  I  am,  that  they  may 
behold  my  glory  which  thou  hast  given  me."  In  ac- 
cordance with  this  prayer,  he  told  his  disciples,  "  Ye 
have  not  chosen  me,  but  I  have  chosen  you,  and  or- 
dained you,  that  you  should  go  and  bring  forth  fruit, 
and  that  your  fruit  should  remain.''^ 

Had  not  a  seed  been  secured  to  Christ  by  such  an 
absolute  covenant,  he  might  have  entirely  lost  the 
reward  of  his  death.  He  had  no  secmity  for  a  single 
soul,  unless  the  covenant  secm-e  the  whole.  Remove, 
now,  the  immutable  purpose  and  promise  of  God,  and 
what  hinders  the  whole  body  of  believers  on  earth 
from  apostatizing  at  once  ?  The  church  may  become 
extinct  in  a  single  day.  But  if  things  are  left  thus 
uncertain,  what  mean  all  the  ijromises  and  oaths  of 
God  respecting  the  future  glory  of  Zion  ? 

In  virtue  of  this  everlasting  covenant  with  the  Re- 
deemer, as  soon  as  a  soul  is  united  to  him  by  faith,  it 
receives  a  sentence  of  justification  which /oreyer  frees 
23* 


270  PERSEVERANCE 

it  from  the  condemning  sentence  of  the  law :  "  Ye  — 
are  become  dead  to  the  law  by  the  body  of  Christ,  that 
ye  should  be  married  to  another,  even  to  Him  that  is 
raised  from  the  dead,  that  we  should  bring  forth  fruit 
unto  God.  —  Now  we  are  delivered  from  the  law^  (that 
being  dead  wherein  we  were  held,)  that  we  should 
serve  in  newness  of  spirit  and  not  in  the  oldness  of 
the  letter. — There  is,  therefore,  iioiu  7W  eondernnation  to 
them  ivldcli  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  walk  not  after  the 
flesh  but  after  the  Spirit.  For  the  law  of  the  Spirit 
of  life  in  Christ  Jesus  hath  made  me  free  from  the  laiv 
of  sin  anddeath. — AVho  shall  lay  anything  to  the  charge 
of  God's  elect  ?  It  is  God  that  justifieth.  Who  is  he 
that  condemneth  ?  It  is  Christ  that  died ;  yea,  rather, 
that  is  risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of 
God,  who  also  maketh  intercession  for  us.  Who  shall 
separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ  ?"  "  The  law  hav- 
ing a  shadow  of  good  things  to  come,  and  not  the 
very  image  of  the  things,  can  never,  with  those  sacri- 
fices which  they  offered  year  hy  year  continually,  make 
the  comers  thereunto  perfect.  For  then  would  they 
not  have  ceased  to  he  offered?  because  that  the  wor- 
shippers, once  purged,  should  have  had  710  more  cou' 
science  of  si7is. — Then  said  he  :  Lo  !  I  come  to  do  thy 
will,  O  God. — By  the  which  will  ive  are  sanctificdthrough 
the  offering  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  once  for  all.  — 
For,  hy  one  offering  he  hath  i3erfecied  forever  them  that  are 
sanctified.  Whereof  the  Holy  Ghost,  also,  is  a  witness 
to  us :  for,  after  that  he  had  said  before.  This  is  the 
covenant  that  I  will  make  with  them :  After  those 
days,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  put  my  laws  into  their 


OF  SAINTS.  271 

hearts,  and  in  their  minds  will  I  write  them,  and  their 
sins  and  iniquities  will  I  remember  no  more.  Now 
Where  remission  of  these  is,  there  is  no  more  offering 
for  sin."  Though  the  drift  of  this  passage  is  to 
prove  that  the  death  of  Christ,  once  endured,  was 
sufficient  to  take  away  sin  without  being  repeated, 
yet  the  argument  is  so  constructed  as  strongly  to  im- 
ply, what  is  explicitly  asserted  in  the  text,  that  all 
who  by  union  to  Christ  are  once  "  justified,"  are  for- 
ever delivered  from  condemnation.  Further,  by  this 
union  men  grow  to  Christ  as  '■^members  of  Ids  body, 
of  his  flesh,  and  of  his  bones  .*"  and  will  he  suffer  his 
members  to  be  torn  from  his  bleeding  side?  At  the 
time  this  union  is  formed,  they  are  "  born  of  God," 
become  "  sons^^  and  "  heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs 
with  Christ, '^^  to  an  inheritance  incorriqjtihle,  —  and  that 
fadeth  not  away,  reserved  in  heaven  for  [them,]  who  are 
kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation.^^ 
Henceforth  their  title  is,  "  no  more  a  servant  but  a 
Sony 

When  in  pursuance  of  the  stipulations  with  his 
Son,  God  came  in  time  to  enter  into  covenant  with 
his  people,  he  bound  himself  to  them  individually  as 
their  everlasting  God  and  portion,  and  engaged  to 
take  upon  himself  the  whole  charge  of  their  salvation. 
These  promises  were  not  conditional  but  absolute 
"  For  when  God  made  promise  to  Abraham,  because 
he  could  swear  by  no  greater,  he  swore  by  himself, 
saying.  Surely  blessing-  I  ivill  bless  thee,  and  multi- 
plying I  will  multiply  thee.  —  For  men  verily  swear 
by  the  greater,  and  an  oath  for  confirmation  is  to 


272  PERSEVERANCE 

• 
them   an   end  of  all  strife.     Wherein  God,  willing 
more  abundantly  to  show  unto  the  heirs  of  promise 
THE  IMMUTABILITY  OF  HIS  COUNSEL,  Confirmed  it  by 
an  oath ;  that  by  two  immutable  things,  in  which  it 
was  impossible  for  God  to  lie,  we  might  have  strong 
consolation  who  have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  upon 
the  hope  set  before  us  ;  which  hope  we  have  as  an 
anchor  of  the   soul,  both  sure    and    steadfast,  and 
which    entereth   into   that  within   the  vail."      The 
covenant  which  was    afterwards    made    at    Sinai, 
(called  "  the  law,"  in  distinction  from  the  Abrahamic 
which  is  called  "  the  promise,")was  conditional.^  and 
of  course  was  broken.    It  was  conditional  or  it  could 
not  have  been  broken.     This  is  the  covenant  alluded 
to  in  the  following  remarkable  passage  :  "  Behold  the 
days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  make   a  neiv 
covenant  with  the  house  of  Israel,  —  not  according 
to  [conditional]  covenant   that  I  made  icilh  their 
fathers  in  the  day  that  I  took  them  by  the  hand  to 
bring   them   out   of  the    land  of  Egypt.,  which  my 
covenant  they  broke ;  —  but  this  shall  be  the  cove- 
nant  that  I  will  make  with   the   house   of    Israel, 
[an  ABSOLUTE  ONE  :]       After  those  days,  saith    the 
Lord,   I  WILL    j)ut  my  laiu  in  their  imvard  parts ^ 
and  write  it  in  their  hearts.,  and  will  be  their  God., 
and  they  shall  be  my  people  ;  for  I  will  forgive 
their  iniquity.,  and  I ivill  remember  their  siu  no  more. 
—  They  shall  be  my  people^  and  /will   be  their 
God.     And  J  will  give  them  one  heart  and  one  way 
that  they  may  fear  me   forever.     And  I  ic ill  make 
an  everlasting  covenant  ivith  them  that  I  will  not 


OF  SAINTS.  273 

turn  away  from  them  to  do  them  good ;  but  I  wili^ 
put  my  fear  in  their  hearts  that  they  shall  not 
DEPART  FROM  ME."  This  passage  is  twice  quoted  in 
the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  as  comprising  the  tenor 
of  the  covenant  established  with  the  Christian 
Church,  which  is  therefore  called  by  the  apostle  "  a 
better  covenant  [than  that  of  Sinai,]  —  established 
upon  better  promises.''^  (Chap.  viii.  and  x.)  And 
from  this  he  infers  that  "  by  one  offering"  Christ  has 
''^perfected  forever  them  that  are  sanctified,"  and 
that  "  the  worshippers,  once  purged,"  have  "  no  more 
conscience  of  sins." 

The  same  covenant  is  detailed  in  the  numerous 
promises  to  the  Church  which  are  scattered  through 
the  Bible.  "  The  Lord  God  is  a  sun  and  a  shield ; 
the  Lord  ivill  give  grace  and  glory."  "  The  anoint- 
ing which  ye  have  received  of  him  abideth  in  you; — 
and  even  as  it  hath  taught  you,  ye  shall  abide  in 
himJ^  Among  these  promises  may  be  reckoned 
those  which  inseparably  connect  salvation  with  the 
first  exercise  of  grace.  "  When  thou  hast  found" 
wisdom,  [once,]  "  then  there  shall  be  a  reward^  and 
thy  expectation  shall  not  be  cut  offP  "  For  whoso 
[once]  findeth  me  findeth  life,  and  shall  obtain  favor 
of  the  Lord."  "  Whosoever  [once]  drinketh  of  the 
water  that  I  shall  give  him,  shall  never  thirst ;  but 
the  water  that  I  shall  give  him  shall  be  in  him  a 
well  of  water  springing  up  into  everlasting  lifeP 
"  He  that  cometh  to  me,  [once]  shall  never  hunger ; 
and  he  that  believeth  on  me,  [once]  shall  never 
thirst."     "  He  that  believeth  [once]  on  the  Son,  hath 


274  PERSEVERANCE 

everlasting  life!'^  "  He  that  [once]  believeth  on  him 
that  sent  me  hath  everlasting  life,  and  shall  not  come 
into  condemnation  hut  ls  passed  from  death  unto 
LIFE."  '•  This  is  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me,  that 
every  one  which  seeth  the  Son  and  [once]  believeth 
on  him,  may  have  everlasting  life,  and  I  iv ill  raise  him 
up  at  the  last  day^  "  Whosoever  shall  give  to  drink 
unto  one  of  these  little  ones  a  cup  of  cold  water  only 
in  the  name  of  a  disciple,  verily  I  say  unto  you  he 
shall  in  no  wise  lose  his  reward."  Among  these 
promises  may  be  reckoned  those  which  absolutely 
secure  to  every  believer  growth  in  grace.  "  The 
righteous  —  shall  hold  on  his  way,  and  he  that  hath 
clean  hands  shall  be  stronger  and  stronger.''^  "  The 
path  of  the  just  is  as  the  shining  light  that  shineth 
more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  dayP  "  They  go  from 
strength  to  strength :  —  blessed  is  the  man  whose 
strength  is  in  thee^  "  Every  branch  that  beareth 
fruit,  he  purgeth  it  that  it  may  bring  forth  more  fruit.^^ 
Grace  in  the  heart,  as  well  as  in  the  world  at  large, 
is  compared  to  a  little  leaven  gradually  leavening 
the  whole  lump  ;  — to  a  grain  of  mustard  seed  which 
grows  up  into  the  largest  of  herbs  ;  —  to  seed  which 
a  man  cast  into  the  ground,  which  sprung  up  and 
grew  night  and  day,  he  knew  not  how,  bringing 
forth,  "first  the  blade,  then  the  ear,  after  that  the  full 
corn  in  the  ear."  "  The  righteous  shall  flourish  like 
a  palm-tree,  he  shall  groiv  ^  like  a  cedar  in  Lebanon^ 
"  He  shall  be  like  a  tree  planted  by  the  rivers  of 
water,  that  hringeth  forth  his  fruit  in  his  season  ;  his 
leaf  also   shall  not   ivither.^^      "  He  shall   be   like   a 


OF  SAINTS.  275 

tree  planted  by  the  waters,  and  that  spreadetJi  out 
her  roots  by  the  river ^  and  shall  not  see  when  heat 
Cometh,  but  her  leaf  shall  be  green,  and  shall  not  be 
careful  in  the  year  of  drought,  neither  shall  cease  from 
yielding  fruit  J^  Among  these  promises  may  be  reck- 
oned those  which  in  particular  cases  assured  good 
men  of  their  final  salvation  long  before  their  death. 
To  Simon  Peter  it  was  said,  "  Whither  I  go  thou 
canst  not  follow  me  now,  but  thou  shalt  follow  me 
afterwards^  To  the  eleven,  "  I  go  to  prepare  a  place 
for  you;  and  if  I  go  and  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I 
will  come  again  and  receive  you  unto  myself^  that 
where  I  am  there  ye  may  be  also^  To  the  church  in 
Sardis,  "  Thou  hast  a  few  names  even  in  Sardis 
which  have  not  defiled  their  garments ;  and  they  shall 
walk  luith  me  in  ivhite,  for  they  are  worthy^ 

Such  being  the  promises  of  the  "  everlasting  cove- 
nant" both  to  Christ  and  the  Church,  it  becomes  a 
mark  of  God's  covenant  faithfulness  to  carry  on  the 
sanctification  of  his  people  to  the  end.  "  Who  shall 
—  confirm  you  unto  the  end,  that  you  may  be  blameless 
in  the  day  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ :  God  is  faithful 
by  whom  ye  ivere  called  uyito  the  felloivship  of  his  Son. 
There  hath  no  temptation  taken  you  but  such  as  is 
common  to  man  ;  but  God  is  faithful  who  will  not 
suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye  are  able^  but  will 
with  the  temptation  also  make  a  way  to  esjape,  that 
ye  may  be  able  to  bear  it."  "  The  Lord  is  faith- 
ful who  shall  establish  you  and  keep  you  from  evil. 
And  we  have  confidence  in  the  Lord  touchina: 
you,  that  ye  both  do  and  tvill  do  the  things  which  we 


276  PERSEVERANCE 

command  you."  "  The  very  God  of  peace  sanctify 
you  wholly ;  and  I  pray  God  your  whole  spirit  and 
soul  and  body  be  preserved  blameless  unto  the  com- 
ing of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.    Faithful  is  he  that 

CALLETH    YOU,    WHO    ALSO    WILL    DO    IT." 

To  impress  us  with  a  deeper  sense  of  the  stability 
of  this  covenant  faithfulness,  it  is  expressly  founded 
on  the  unchangeahleness  of  the  divine  nature ;  "  I  am 
the  Lord,  I  change  not,  therefore  ye  sons  of  Jacob  are 
not  consumed^  On  this  basis  rest  of  course  the  im- 
mutable love  and  purpose  so  often  revealed  in  pas- 
sages like  these :  "  Having  loved  his  own  which 
were  in  the  world,  he  loved  them  unto  the  end.''''  "  As 
touching  the  election  they  are  beloved  for  the  fathers' 
sakes  ;  for  the  gifts  and  calling  of  Crod  are  without  re- 
'pentanceJ'^ 

In  this  unchanging  faithfulness  of  God  the  most 
enlightened  saints  have  always  confided,  for  the  com- 
pletion both  of  their  own  salvation  and  that  of 
others.  For  the  completion  of  their  oion  salvation  : 
"  Thou  shalt  guide  me  with  thy  counsel,''^  said  Asaph, 
"  and  afterwards  receive  me  to  glory. — My  flesh  and  my 
heart  faileth,  but  God  is  the  strength  of  my  heart  and 
my  portion  forever^  "  I  know  whom  I  have  believ- 
ed," said  Paul,  "  and  I  am  persuaded  that  lie  is  able 
to  keep  that  which  I  have  committed  unto  him 
against  that  day.  The  Lord  shall  deliver  me  from 
every  evil  work,  and  will  preserve  me  unto  his  heavenly 
kingdom.  —  Henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a 
crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the  right- 
eous Judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day."  —  For  the 


OF   SAINTS.  277 

completion  of  the  salvation  of  others  :  "  I  thank  my 
God  upon  every  remembrance  of  you,"  said  Paul  to 
the  Philippians ;  "  being  confident  of    this  very 

THING,  THAT  HE  WHICH  HATH  BEGUN  A  GOOD  WORK 
IN    YOU    WILL    PERFORM    IT  UNTIL    THE    DAY    OF    JESUS 

CHRIST."  David  had  the  same  confidence  in  God 
respecting  the  salvation  of  all  the  saints  :  "  The  steps 
of  a  good  man  are  ordered  hy  the  Lord :  —  though  he 
fall  he  shall  not  he  utterly  cast  down,  for  the  Lord  iip- 
holdeth  him  ivith  Ms  hand.^'  ^' The  Lord  —  forsaketh 
not  his  saints;  they  are  preserved  forever.^' 

There  are  many  passages,  too  numerous  to  be 
quoted,  which  assert  the  doctrine  without  so  dis- 
tinctly bringing  into  view  the  divine  agency.  For 
a  specimen  take  the  following :  "  A  just  man  falleth 
seven  times,  [ever  so  often,]  and  riseth  up  again." 
"  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  clean,  enduring  foreverP 
''Blessed  is  the  man  that  feareth  the  Lord; — his 
righteousness  endureth  forever. —  Surely  he  shall  not  be 
moved  forever.  —  His  heart  is  fixed,  tfusting  in  the 
Lord.  —  His  righteousness  endureth  forever ;  his 
horn  shall  be  exalted  with  honor."  "  Mary  hath 
chosen  that  good  part  which  shall  not  be  taken  away 
from  her." 

If  the  saints  may  finally  apostatize,  what  can  be 
meant  by  "  the  full  assurance  of  hope  "  which  all  are 
exhorted  to  acquire  ?  and  by  the  "  sure  and  ste  idfasi^' 
hope  which  rests  on  the  covenant  of  God  ?  Is  it 
merely  a  hope  that  they  may  happen  to  be  in  a 
gracious  state  when  they  die  ?  But  this  is  the  com- 
mon hope  of  the  wicked,  who  nevertheless  are  said 
24 


278  PERSEVERANCE 

to  possess  "  no  hope."  What  less  can  it  mean  than 
that  triumphant  confidence,  involving  the  certainty  of 
persevering,  which  Job  expressed  when  he  said, "  I 
know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  that  he  shall  stand 
at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth  ;  and  though,  after 
my  skin,  worms  destroy  this  body,  yet  in  my  flesh 
shall  I  see  God  ;  whom  I  shall  see  for  myself,  and  my 
eyes  shall  behold  and  not  another,  though  my  reins 
be  consumed  within  me."  (Job  xvii.  9  and  xix.25 — 27; 
Ps.  i.  3  and  xix.  9  and  xxxvii.  23, 24, 28  and  Ixxiii.  24, 
26  and  Ixxxiv.  5,  7,  11  and  Ixxxix.  3,  4,  19,  29—33 
and  xcii.  12  and  cxii.  1,  3,  6,  7,  9 ;  Prov.  iv.  18  and 
viii.  35  and  xxiv.  14  ;  Jer.  xvii.  8  and  xxxi.  31 — 34 
and  xxxii.  38—40 ;  Mai.  iii.  6  ;  Matt.  x.  42  and  xiii. 
31_33 ;  Mark  iv.  26—29  ;  Luke  x.  42 ;  John  iii.  36 
and  iv.  14  and  v.  24  and  vi.  35,  40  and  xiii.  1,  36  and 
xiv.  2, 3  and  xv.  2, 16  and  xvii.  1, 2, 9, 11, 15, 17, 20—24; 
Rom.  vii.  4,  6  and  viii.  1,  2, 14, 15, 17,  33—35  and  xi. 
28,  29  ;  1  Cor.  i.  8,  9  and  x.  13  ;  Gal.  iii.  16, 17  and 
iv.  7  ;  Eph.  ii.  12  ;  Phil.  i.  3,  6  ;  1  Thes.  v.  23,  24  ; 
2  Thess.  iii.  3,  4  ;  2  Tim.  i.  12  and  iv.  8, 18  ;  Heb.  vi. 
11,  13—20  and  viii.  6—13  and  x.  1,  2,  9, 10, 14—18. 
1  Pet.  i.  4,  5;  1  John  ii.  27  and  iii.  9 ;    Rev.  iii.  4.) 

It  cannot,  however,  be  denied  that  there  are  many 
passages  of  Scripture  which  warn  Christians  against 
apostasy,  which  urge  the  necessity  of  enduring  to  the 
end,  and  some  which,  taken  by  themselves,  seem  even 
to  speak  as  though  a  truly  righteous  man  might  finally 
fall.    These  passages  may  all  be  reduced  to  two  clases : 

1.  Those  which  press  upon  real  Christians  the  ne- 
cessity of  enduring  to  the  end.     These,  so  far  from 


I 


OP    SAINTS.  279 

proving  that  they  may  fall  away,  are  the  very  means 
by  which  their  perseverance  is  secured.  Tliis  may  be 
illustrated  by  an  occurrence  in  Paul's  voyage  to  Rome. 
The  angel  of  the  Lord  had  assured  him  that  not  one 
of  the  company  should  perish ;  and  yet  when  the 
sailors  were  deserting  the  v^Teck,  Paul  said  to  the 
centurion,  "Except  these  abide  in  the  ship,  ye  can- 
not be  saved."  (Acts  xxvii.  21—24,  30—32.)  It  was 
certain  that  all  the  company  would  be  preserved ; 
and  that  the  sailors  would  continue  in  the  ship  ;  and 
this  threat  was  the  very  means  by  which  the  whole 
was  secured.  Now  if  you  can  find  texts  which  peremp- 
torily threaten  real  Christians  with  destruction  in  case 
of  apostasy,  they  furnish  an  instance  exactly  paral- 
lel, and  no  m.ore  prove  that  real  Christians  ivill  apos- 
tatize, than  Paul's  threat  proved  that  the  words  of  the 
angel  would  fail. 

2.  The  other  class  speak  of  apostasy,  not  from  real 
godliness,  but  from  a  profession^  from  external  right- 
eousness, or  from  a  mere  conviction  of  truth.  Several 
of  the  strongest  passages  are  expressly  limited  to  some 
such  meaning  by  their  own  context.  Take,  for  in- 
stance, that  memorable  one  in  the  sixth  of  Hebrews  : 
"  It  is  impossible  for  those  who  were  once  enlightened, 
and  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gifts,  and  were  made 
partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  have  tasted  the  good 
word  of  God,  and  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come, 
if  they  shall  fall  away,  to  renew  them  again  unto 
repentance."  This  is  probably  the  strongest  passage 
in  the  Bible.  Now  does  this  speak  of  real  Christians? 
Certainly  not;  for,  to  guard  against  such  a  construe- 


280  PERSEVERANCE 

tion,  it  is  immediately  added  :  "  But,  beloved,  we  are 
persuaded  better  things  of  t/ow,  and  things  that  accom- 
pany salvatio?i,  though  we  thus  speak  ;  [we  are  per- 
suaded that  you  are  real  Christians,  and  of  com'se  will 
not  be  suffered  to  apostatize;]  for  God  is  not  un- 
righteous to  forget  your  work  and  labor  of  love:" 
he  is  not  so  unfaithful  to  his  promise  as  to  suffer  those 
who  have  given  undoubted  proofs  of  sincerity  to  per- 
ish. Take  another  instance,  from  the  tenth  chapter  of 
the  same  Epistle  :  "  If  we  sin  wilfully  after  that  we 
have  received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  there  re- 
maineth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sins,  but  a  certain  fear- 
ful looking-for  of  judgment  and  fiery  indignation 
which  shall  devour  the  adversaries.  He  that  despised 
Moses'  law  died  without  mercy,  under  two  or  three 
witnesses ;  of  how  much  sorer  punishment,  suppose 
ye,  shall  he  be  thought  worthy,  who  hath  trodden  un- 
der foot  the  Son  of  God,  and  hath  counted  the  blood 
of  the  covenant  wherewith  he  [Christ]  was  sanctified 
an  unholy  thing,  and  have  done  despite  unto  the  Spirit 
of  grace. — The  just  shall  live  by  faith ;  but  if  any  man 
draw  back,  my  soul  shall  have  no  pleasure  in  him." 
Now  does  all  this  prove  that  real  Christians  may  apos- 
tatize ?  Certainly  not ;  for  it  is  immediately  added : 
"But  we  are  not  of  them  who  draw  back  un- 
to PERDITION,  BUT  OF  THEM  THAT  BELIEVE  TO  THE 
SAVING    OF    THE    SOUL." 

But  every  question  respecting  the  previous  sancti- 
fication  of  apostates,  is  settled  once  for  all  by  a  single 
verse  in  the  First  Epistle  of  John.  There  were,  in 
those  days,  heretics  and  profligates  who  had  with- 


OF    SAINTS.       -  281 

drawn  from  the  communion  of  the  church.  The  ques- 
tion is,  had  any  of  them  been  real  Christians  ?  John 
tells  you,  in  language  applicable  to  apostates  in  every 
age,  and  that  sweeps  off  all  these  objections  at  a 
stroke :  "  They  went  out  from  us,  but  they  were  not 
OF  us ;  for  if  they  had  been  ofus^  they  ivould  no  doubt 
have  continued  ivith  us;  but  they  went  out  from  us 

THAT  THEY  MIGHT  BE  MADE  MANIFEST  THAT  THEY 

WERE  NOT  ALL  OF  US."  (IJohiiii.  19.)  Ill  otlicr  woi'ds, 
had  they  been  real  Christians,  they  certainly  ivould  not 
have  apostatized.  This  settles  the  previous  charac- 
ter of  all  apostates,  to  the  end  of  the  world.  Whatever 
number  of  texts,  then,  you  may  find  that  speak  of 
apostasy,  it  is  now  ascertained  that  the  apostates 
never  were  sanctified. 

It  has  been  said  that  this  doctrine  tends  to  licen- 
tiousness. Though,  after  showing  that  it  is  a  doctrine 
of  the  Bible,  I  am  under  no  obligation  to  answer  ob- 
jections, I  cannot  refrain  from  saying  that  such  a  use 
can  never  be  made  of  it  by  any  but  hypocrites.  I  ap- 
peal to  a  million  witnesses  that  a  holy  heart  feels  no 
temptation  thus  to  abuse  this  heavenly  truth.  I  ap- 
peal to  the  history  of  the  church,  if  the  holiest  of  men 
have  not  believed  it  without  becoming  licentious, — 
if  the  principal  part  of  the  piety  of  past  ages,  especially 
since  the  Reformation,  .has  not  been  connected  with 
this  belief.  I  appeal  to  that  venerable  saint  whose 
aged  eye  daily  looks  towards  heaven  with  "  the  full 
assurance  of  hope,"  and  with  full  confidence  in  this 
blessed  truth,  whether  his  assurance  checks  his  hun- 
gerings  after  righteousness,  —  whether  the  "perfect 
24* 


282  PERSEVERANCE 

love,"  which  "  casteih  out  fear,"  is  ready  to  return  to 
sin, — whether  the  "spirit  of  adoption,"  which  confi- 
dently cries  "Abba,  Father,"  is  less  purifying  than 
the  dread  of  the  slave.  I  appeal  to  Paul  on  his  throne, 
whether  the  full  assurance  of  eternal  glory  prompts  a 
wish  to  return  to  pollution,  or  abates  the  ardor  of  his 
love. 

Such  an  abuse  of  the  doctrine  is  indeed  chargeable 
upon  hypocrites  :  and  to  guard  them  (and  all  that  is 
wicked  in  Christians)  against  this  abuse,  those  very 
warnings  against  apostasy  were  issued  which  you 
have  brought  forward  to  disprove  the  doctrine.  Mark 
your  inconsistency  here.  You  say  the  doctrine  tends 
to  licentiousness ;  and  as  soon  as  the  Bible  issues 
warnings  to  guard  it  against  this  abuse,  and  to  silence 
this  complaint,  you  fling  those  very  warnings  against 
the  doctrine.  What  was  done  by  the  divine  Spirit  to 
protect  it  against  your  own  objection,  you  convert 
into  a  new  weapon  of  attack. 

This  subject,  my  Christian  brethren,  opens  to  view 
the  astonishing  grace  of  God,  and  traces  back  your 
salvation  to  its  proper  source,  the  counsels  of  the 
adorable  Trinity.  It  shows  you  where  your  strength 
lies,  and  whence  your  hope  springs.  The  Father,  who 
eternally  gave  you  to  his  Son,  promised  him  to  take 
the  tenderest  care  of  you  for  his  sake,  and  to  see, 
himself,  to  every  part  of  your  salvation.  He  promised 
him  to  suffer  no  real  evil  to  befal  you,  to  supply  you 
with  every  needed  good,  and  to  make  you  the  hap- 
pier for  every  event.  He  promised  him  to  defend  you 
against  every  enemy,  to  suffer  neither  Satan  nor  your 


OF    SAINTS.  283 

own  heart  to  prevail  against  you,  and  to  bear  you  in 
his  arms  to  the  heavenly  rest.  Your  strength,  your 
hope,  your  salvation,  depend  on  counsels  settled  in 
heaven  infinite  years  before  you  were  born.  As  sure 
as  God  is  faithful,  everlasting  ages  of  glory  are  be- 
fore you.  When  you  have  shed  a  few  more  tears  in 
a  strange  land,  your  feet  shall  stand  on  Mount  Zion, 
and  you  shall  sing,  to  your  golden  harps,  the  endless 
song  of  gi-ace.  Akeady  you  touch  the  sacred  threshold. 
Why  go  ye  mourning  all  the  day  ?  Is  it  for  an  heir  of 
glory  to  be  sad  ?  Lift  up  your  heads  and  rejoice  in 
God  your  Saviour,  and  in  the  everlasting  covenant. 
Throw  away  these  comfortless  hopes  which  you  draw 
from  yourselves,  and  behold  in  the  infinite  resources 
of  the  ever-blessed  Trinity  the  origin  and  completion 
of  your  salvation.  When  you  get  home  to  glory,  how 
will  then  appear  a  Father's  care!  how  the  everlasting 
covenant  that  drew  you  from  the  pit!  Then  will  you 
begin  the  song  of  grace.  While  you  cast  your  crowns 
at  his  feet,  as  everlasting  ages  roll,  you  will  swell  the 
song  of  grace.  Let  us  even  begin  it  here,  and  say, 
"  Unto  him  that  loved  us  and  washed  us  from  our  sins 
in  his  own  blood,  and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests 
unto  God  and  his  Father,  to  him  be  glory  and  do- 
minion forever  and  ever.    Amen." 


LECTUEE  III. 


THE    SYSTEM    CONFIRMED    AND    APPLIED, 
GALATIANS  i.  8,  9. 

BUT  THOUGH  WE,  OR  AN  ANGEL  FROM  HEAVEN,  PREACH  ANY 
OTHER  GOSPEL  UNTO  YOU  THAN  THAT  WHICH  WE  HAVE 
PREACHED  UNTO  YOU,  LET  HIM  BE  ACCURSED.  AS  WE  SAID 
BEFORE,  SO  SAY  I  NOW  AGAIN,  IF  ANY  MAN  PREACH  ANY 
OTHER  GOSPEL  UNTO  YOU  THAN  THAT  YE  HAVE  RECEIVED, 
LET  HIM  BE  ACCURSED. 

The  truths  which  have  been  supported  in  this  course 
of  lectures,  are  far  from  constituting  the  whole  Gospel. 
Besides  the  Trinity,  the  atonement,  justification  by 
faith,  the  retributions  of  eternity,  and  several  other 
cardinal  doctrines  not  taken  up  in  the  course,  most 
of  the  precepts  of  the  Bible,  and  all  the  invitations 
and  promises^  belong  to  the  Gospel.  But  I  have  se- 
lected four  articles  of  faith,  viz.  total  depravity,  re- 
generation, election,  and  perseverance,  not  only  be- 
cause they  form  an  indissoluble  chain,  but  because 
if  these  truths  are  believed  and  understood,  we  shall 
not  be  likely  to  err  in  regard  to  the  rest.    As  I  passed 


THE   SYSTEM   CONFIRMED.  285 

along,  I  touched  also  upon  the  means  of  gTace  and 
the  powers  of  man,  on  account  of  their  relation  to 
the  other  topics;  but  the  great  hinges  of  the  system, 
and  what  I  had  principally  in  view,  were  these  four. 
To  support  these,  I  laid,  in  the  outset,  a  foundation 
for  the  whole  system  by  establishing,  on  independent 
ground,  the  doctrine  of  total  depravity.  I  next  showed 
you  that  from  this  truth  followed  the  unavoidable  in- 
ference that  God  must  change  the  heart,  uninduced 
and  unaided  by  man,  and  must  make  one  to  differ 
from  another  according  to  his  sovereign  pleasure  ;  all 
which  could  not  be  true  if  men  were  not  totally  de- 
praved. I  then  proceeded  to  support  this  view  of  re- 
generation by  plain  and  positive  declarations  of  Scrip- 
ture. I, next  showed  you  that  from  this  truth  inevi- 
tably followed  the  doctrine  of  absolute  personal 
election ;  which  could  not  be  true  if  regeneration  was 
not  what  it  had  been  represented.  I  then  proceeded 
to  support  this  view  of  election  by  a  great  number 
of  texts  of  the  most  explicit  and  decisive  cast.  I  next 
opened  the  Bible  and  showed  you  that  none  but  the 
elect  are  regenerated.  This  being  settled,  it  was  mani- 
fest that  from  election  unavoidably  followed  the  per- 
severance of  the  saints ;  w^iich  could  not  be  accounted 
for  on  anij  other  principle.  I  then  proceeded  to  estab- 
lish the  doctrine  of  perseverance  by  a  large  array  of 
scriptural  proofs ;  a  part  of  which  supported  the  point 
independently,  and  a  part  showed  its  indissoluble 
connection  with  the  preceding  example. 

There  still  remain  some  arguments  in  confirmation 
of  the  whole  system  to  be  drawn  from  the  analogy  of 


286  THE  SYSTEM 

faith ^  and  some  remarks  illustrative  of  the  practical 
importance  of  the  truths  established.  That  I  may- 
glean  up  what  remains,  I  will  attempt, 

I.  To  show,  from  some  additional  considerations, 
that  these  four  articles,  as  they  have  been  explained, 
really  belong  to  the  true  Gospel. 

II.  To  prove  that  every  system  which  rejects 
these  four  doctrines,  is  ''■  another  gospel.''^ 

III.  To  urge  the  infinite  importance  of  ascertain- 
ing, by  deep  and  careful  examination,  what  the  true 
Gospel  is. 

I.  I  am  to  show,  from  some  additional  considera- 
tions, that  these  four  articles,  as  they  have  been  ex- 
plained, really  belong  to  the  true  Gospel.  I  say,  as 
they  have  been  explained^  for  the  reasonings  which 
follow  must  be  understood  as  applicable  to  the  doc- 
trines in  no  other  than  the  precise  shape  in  which 
they  have  been  exhibited. 

1.  It  is  apparent  to  reason  that  these  four  doc- 
trines must  stand  or  fall  together.  They  support 
each  other  like  the  different  parts  of  an  arch,  and 
you  cannot  tear  one  away  without  demolishing  the 
whole  structure.  Or  to  use  a  more  exact  illustration, 
they  are  inseparable  links  of  a  chain,  of  which  if  one 
is  supported  the  whole  are  supported.  The  entke 
system  must  stand,  or  every  vestige  of  it  must  be 
destroyed.  There  is  as  much  evidence  that  the 
whole  is  true  as  that  the  whole  is  not  false.  To  you 
who  have  attentively  followed  the  train  of  reason- 
ings in  the  foregoing  lectures,  it  must  be  manifest 
that  the  man  who  would  overthrow  one  of  these 


CONFIRMED.  287 

articles,  must  demolish  the  four,  and  leave  not  a 
wreck  of  the  system  behind.  Till  one  is  prepared 
to  perform  the  whole  of  this  mighty  task,  he  ought 
to  beware  how  he  undertakes. 

2.  These  doctrines,  thus  indissoluble,  are  separ- 
ately supported  by  four  distinct  and  strong  classes  of 
texts.  This  shows  you  the  luhole  chaiyi  supported 
by  a  column  under  each  link^  yielding  to  each  a 
fourfold  support.  The  literal  meaning  of  four 
numerous  classes  of  texts  must  be  swept  away 
before  one  of  the  articles  can  fall.  To  bring  either 
of  them  into  doubt,  a  man  must  march  through  the 
Scriptures  and  twist  into  a  forced  construction  the 
great  body  of  the  Sacred  Writings. 

That  there  are  four  classes  of  texts  which  speak 
severally  of  the  moral  deadness  of  man,  the  new 
birth,  election,  and  God's  preserving  care  of  his 
saints,  cannot  be  denied.  The  only  question  is, 
what  do  they  mean  ?  What  are  the  four  doctrines 
which  they  support?  In  their  plain,  obvious  mean- 
ing they  unquestionably  support  such  doctrines  as 
have  been  set  before  you.  Is  the  plain,  obvious 
meaning  the  true  one  ?  This  is  the  only  question 
that  remains  to  be  ti'ied ;  and  this,  if  I  mistake  not, 
may  be  settled,  if  anything  can  be  settled,  beyond  the 
power  of  controversy.     At  any  rate  I  will  try. 

The  general  remark  which  I  have  to  make  is,  that 
if  you  would  get  rid  of  the  plain  interpretation,  you 
must  set  aside  the  obvious  meaning,  not  of  one,  but 
of  four  distinct  classes  of  texts,  relating  to  four 
distinct  subjects,  —  subjects   connected   by   reason 


288  THE    SYSTEM 

just  as  they  are  by  the  obvious  meaning  of  the 
texts.  To  display  this  argument  in  a  fair  and  per- 
spicuous form,  I  observe, 

[1]  That  the  four  doctrines,  in  the  shape  in  which 
they  have  been  exhibited,  appear  to  the  eye  of  reason, 
(if  you  will  suffer  the  expression,)  like  four  timbers 
dovetailed  into  each  other.  Now  to  support  the 
construction  which  gives  them  this  form,  the  Scrip- 
tures join  the  doctrines  contained  in  the  four  classes 
of  texts,  in  the  same  order,  and  in  each  case  show 
you  plainly  the  mortise  and  the  joint.  The  junction 
of  total  depravity  and  regeneration  is  exhibited  in 
this  text :  "  You  hath  he  quickened  who  were  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins."  The  junction  of  regeneration 
and  election  is  this :  "  Whom  he  did  predestinate^ 
them  he  also  called.^^  Or  this  :  "  As  many  as  were 
ordained  to  eternal  life  believed^  The  junction  of 
election  and  perseverance,  is  this  :  "  Whom  he  did 
predestinate,  them  he  also  called  ;  and  whom  he 
called,  them  he  also  —  glorified."  But  because  this 
is  the  most  important  joint  of  the  whole,  I  will  make 
it  a  little  more  visible  by  the  following  quotations  : 
"  This  is  the  Father's  will,  —  that  of  all  which  he 
hath  given  me  I  should  lose  nothing ^hut  should  raise 
it  up  again  at  the  last  dayP  "  I  lay  down  my  life 
for  the  sheep.  And  other  sheep  I  have  which  are  not 
of  this  fold :  them  also  /  must  'brings  and  they  shall 
hear  my  voice.  —  But  ye  believe  not  because  ye  arc 
not  of  my'  sheep.  —  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  —  a7id 
I  give  unto  them  eternal  life.,  and  they  shall  never 
perish^  neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand. 


CONFIRMED.  .  289 

My  Father  which  g'ave  them  me  is  greater  than  all, 
and  none  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father^ s 
handP  "  Thou  hast  given  him  power  over  all  flesh, 
that  he  shoidd  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou 
hast  given  him.  — •  Father,  I  will  that  they  also  whom 
thou  hast  given  me  be  ivith  me  where  I  am,  that 
they  may  behold  my  glory  which  thou  hast  given 
me."  "  Ye  have  not  chosen  me,  but  /  have  chosen 
you,  and  ordained  you,  that  you  should  go  and 
bring  forth  fruit,  and  that  your  fruit  should  remain.^^ 
(John  vi.  39  and  x.  1/5,  16,  26  —  29  and  xv.  16  and 
xvii.  2, 24 ;  Acts  xiii.  48  ;  Rom.  viii.  30  ;  Eph.  ii.  1.) 

Perseverance,  thus  joined  in  upon  election,  is  of 
course  indissolubly  connected  with  regeneration ; 
and  this  connection  is  sometimes  displayed  with- 
out bringing  election  into  view  :  "  Whosoever  is 
born  of  God  doth  not  commit  sin ;  for  his  seed  re- 
viairieth  in  him,  and  he  cannot  sin  because  he  is 
born  of  God."     (1  John  iii.  9.) 

Here  then  are  the  four  doctrines  as  they  stand  in 
the  Scriptures,  joined  together  in  the  same  order  in 
which  they  are  connected  in  these  lectures.  This 
alone  would  go  far  towards  confirming  the  construc- 
tion which  I  have  given ;  but  there  is  one  circum- 
stance which  establishes  it,  I  should  think  beyond 
the  reach  of  doubt.  Upon  no  other  possible  plan  of 
construction  can  the  doctrines  contained  in  the  four 
classes  of  texts  be  struns:  tos:cther  in  one  indissoluble 
chain.  If  you  say  for  instance,  that  the  fuoral  dead- 
ness  ascribed  to  man  means  a  pagan  state,  that 
regeneration  is  only  a  conversion  from  paganism  to 
25 


290  THE    SYSTEM 

the  knowledge  and  profession  of  Christianity,  and 
that  election  is  nothing  more  than  a  selection  of  the 
nations  to  be  visited  with  the  lig-ht  of  the  Gospel; 
here  are  thi'ee  lines, but  where  is  the  fourth?  Perse- 
verance is  altogether  excluded.  But  this  is  plainly- 
connected  w^ith  the  rest  as  they  stand  in  the  Bible. 
Try  any  other  plan  of  construction,  and  the  result 
will  be  the  same.  The  more  deeply  this  argument 
is  considered,  the  more  plain  will  it  appear  that  this 
construction  must  certainly  be  right.  But  in  con^ 
firmation  of  it  I  have  something  still  mpre  decisive 
to  offer.      I  add, 

[2]  That  the  doctrines  supported  by  the  most 
obvious  meaning  of  these  four  classes  of  texts, 
growing  together  as  they  do  by  the  inviolable  con- 
nection of  premise  and  consequence,  lend  each  other 
an  influence  to  settle  the  construction  abundantly 
more  than  fourfold.  That  a  book  in  its  obvious 
meaning  should  distinctly  support  a  premise,  (say 
total  depravity,  as  it  has  been  explained,)  and  then 
by  a  literal  construction  as  plainly  support  an  infer- 
ence deducible  only  from  that  premise,  (say  regener- 
ation, as  it  has  been  explained;)  and  then  in  its 
literal  import  as  decidedly  support  another  inference 
deductive  only  from  the  former,  (say  election,  as  it 
has  been  explained  ;)  and  then  by  a  plain  construc- 
tion as  clearly  support  a  third  inference  deducible 
only  from  the  second,  (say  perseverance,  as  it  has 
been  explained ;)  and  after  all  mean  neither,  but 
something  entirely  different,  is  vastly  more  incredible 
than  that  it  should  speak  unintelligibly  on  a  single 


CONFIRMED.  291 

point  in  instances  equally  numerous.  There  is 
indeed  one  case  which  must  be  considered  an  ex- 
ception. Where  the  writer  is  laboring  to  support  a 
figure  of  speech^  and  carries  out  the  figure  through 
the  several  inferences,  neither  the  premise  nor  any  of 
the  consequences  require  or  admit  a  literal  construc- 
tion. But  nothing  of  this  kind  occurs  in  the  present 
case.  You  find  the  texts  belonging  to  each  class 
detached,  and  scattered  through  the  Old  Testament 
and  the  New,  incorporated  w^ith  artless  narratives, 
with  proverbs,  with  sacred  songs,  with  plain  didactic 
discourses,  with  familiar  epistles,  and  with  every 
species  of  composition.  You  might  as  well  say  that 
the  whole  Bible  is  one  figure  of  speech. 

The  strength  of  this  argument  may  be  faintly  il- 
lustrated by  the  following  case.  You  find  it  asserted 
twenty  times  in  a  history  of  modern  Europe,  that  a 
spark  was  communicated  to  a  magazine  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Rome.  The  meaning  of  the  histo- 
rian is  called  in  question.  I  examine,  and  find  in 
different  parts  of  the  book,  twenty  distinct  assertions 
that  a  dreadful  explosion  was  produced  by  the  means. 
Here  is  the  necessary  consequence  from  the  preYnise 
as  first  understood.  You  still  doubt  the  author's 
meaning.  I  examine  again,  and  find  in  detached 
parts  of  the  narrative,  twenty  positive  assertions  that 
the  explosion  shook  the  ivhole  city  of  Rome.  Here 
is  another  necessary  consequence  from  the  latter. 
You  still  doubt  whether  the  meaning  in  either  case 
is  understood.  I  search  further,  and  find  dispersed 
through  the  history,  in  different  forms,  twenty  plain 


292  THE   SYSTEM 

declarations  that  the  whole  city  was  filled  with  con- 
ster7iatio7i,  and  presently  after  with  loud  inquiries  how 
the  magazine  took  fire.  Here  is  another  natural  con- 
sequence from  the  last.  I  now  ask,  whether  the  au- 
thor's meaning  is  not  more  indubitably  fixed  than 
though  he  had  repeated  the  first  assertion  eighty  times, 
without  noticing  this  string  of  effects  ? 

But  even  this  case  does  not  express  the  full  force  of 
the  argument,  for  want  of  a  closer  ?7?i//?^«Z  connection 
of  the  parts  ;  for  the  explosion,  the  shock,  and  the  con- 
sternation, might  have  followed  from  a  volcano  or 
an  earthquake.  Let  us  look  upon  the  case  as  it  really 
stands.  I  bring  a  numerous  class  of  texts  which  plainly 
and  forcibly,  and  in  all  the  varieties  of  language,  assert 
the  doctrine  of  total  depravity,  in  the  sense  in  which 
it  has  been  explained.  I  fortify  this  proof  with  col- 
lateral points,  that  press  upon  the  doctrine  and  force 
it  into  this  precise  shape  ;  such  as  the  nature  of  holi- 
ness and  sin,  the  exclusive  nature  of  love  of  the  world, 
and  several  other  things  expressly  taught  in  the  Scrip- 
tures. You  still  doubt  the  correctness  of  my  construc- 
tion. I  tell  you  that  if  I  am  right,  you  may  expect  to 
find  in  the  Bible  a  doctrine  that  is  an  unavoidable  in- 
ference from  this,  but  which  cannot  be  true  if  this  is 
false  ;  and  that  is  regeneration,  in  the  sense  in  wliich 
it  has  been  explained.  To  test  my  construction,  we 
go  on  to  search  for  the  doctrine  of  regeneration,  and 
find  it  supported,  precisely  in  tliis  shape,  by  the  obvi- 
ous meaning  of  thirty  or  forty  plain  and  forcible  texts. 
You  doubt  my  construction  of  these  texts.  I  tell  you 
that  if  I  am  right,  you  may  expect  to  find  in  the  Bible 


CONFIRMED.  293 

a  doctrine  that  is  an  unavoidable  inference  from  the 
latter,  but  which  cannot  be  true  if  the  latter  is  false  ; 
and  that  is,  absolute  personal  election.  To  test  my  con- 
struction, we  go  on  to  search  for  the  doctrine  of  abso- 
lute personal  election,  and  find  it  supported  by  the 
testimony  of  a  long  catalogue  of  texts,  in  terms  as 
precise  and  explicit  as  any  language  can  furnish.  Af- 
ter all,  you  doubt  my  construction  of  these  texts.  I 
tell  you  that  I  have  learned  from  the  Bible  that  none 
but  the  elect  are  regenerated  ;  if,  then,  I  am  right  in 
the  foregoing  interpretations,  you  may  expect  to  find 
in  the  Bible  a  doctrine  which,  after  this  information, 
becomes  an  unavoidable  inference  from  absolute  per- 
sonal election,  but  which  cannot  be  accounted  for  on 
any  other  principle  ;  and  that  is,  the  perseverance  of 
the  saints.  To  test  my  construction  still  farther,  we 
go  on  to  search  for  the  doctrine  of  perseverance,  and 
find  it  supported,  by  explicit  declarations,  on  almost 
every  page  of  the  Bible,  many  of  which  indissolubly 
connect  it  with  absolute  personal  election.  Now  I  ask, 
is  not  this  vastly  more  than  a  four-fold  proof  in  favor 
of  the  construction  given  to  each  of  the  four  classes? 
Had  the  whole  number  of  texts  been  exclusively  ap- 
propriated to  support  any  one  of  these  doctrines,  they 
certainly  would  have  yielded  *it  far  less  support  than 
they  now  do  ;  for  then  they  might  have  been  more 
easily  explained  away.  There  would  have  been  but 
one  check  to  support  such  an  attempt,  now  there  are 
fovr^  and  placed  in  such  a  relation  to  each  other  as 
to  have  incomparably  more  than  four  times  the  influ- 
ence of  one. 

25* 


294  THE    SYSTEM 

Suffer  me  to  make  another  illustration  of  this  argu- 
ment, which  comes  a  little  nearer  the  truth  than  the 
one  before  attempted.  A  man  appears  in  America, 
by  the  name  of  Luke,  claiming  to  be  a  prophet,  and 
gives  many  decisive  proofs  of  a  divine  mission.  You 
doubt  the  correctness  of  his  claims.  He  says,  "  By 
this  you  shall  know :  if  I  am  a  prophet,  there  is  a 
child  born  to-day  at  such  a  place  in  Europe,  by  the. 
name  of  John,  who  is  a  prophet  too."  You  hasten 
to  the  place  and  find  the  child  giving  abundant  proof 
of  miraculous  powers,  and  constantly  declaring,  "  If 
Luke  had  not  been  a  prophet,  I  should  not  have  been 
born."  You  doubt  the  inspiration  of  John.  He  says, 
"  By  this  you  shall  know  :  if  1  am  a  prophet,  there  is 
a  child  born  to-day,  at  such  a  place  in  Africa,  by  the 
name  of  Mark,  who  is  a  prophet  too."  You  hasten 
to  the  place  and  find  the  child  giving  abundant  proof 
of  miraculous  powers,  and  constantly  declajring,  "  If 
John  had  not  been  born  a  prophet,  neither  should  I." 
You  doubt  the  inspiration  of  Mark.  He  says,  "  By  this 
you  shall  know  :  if  I  am  a  prophet,  there  is  a  child 
born  to-day,  at  such  a  place  in  Asia,  who  is  a  prophet 
too."  You  hasten  to  the  place  and  find  the  child  giv- 
ing abundant  proof  of  miraculous  po\vers,  and  /re- 
quently  saying,"  If  Mark  had  not  been.born  a  prophet, 
neither  should  I."  I  ask,  now,  whether  you  have  not 
incomparably  more  evidence  of  the  inspiration  of  Lvke^ 
than  1  hough  you  had  staid  at  home  and  seen  him 
perform  four  times  as  many  miracles  as  he  did? 
Have  you  not  incomparably  more  evidence  of  the 
inspiration  of  each  of  the  four,  than  though  you  had 


CONFIRMED.  295 

seen  him  stand  alone  and  perform  fom-  times  as  many- 
miracles  as  he  did  ? 

Let  us  now  see  the  result  of  the  whole.  Each  doc- 
trine stands  supported  by  the  whole  body  of  texts 
contained  in  the  four  classes,  and  cannot  be  shaken 
while  eithe?'  class  is  allowed  to  have  a  literal  mean- 
ing. And  being  strung  together,  both  by  Scripture 
and  reason,  in  an  indissoluble  chain,  as  premises  and 
consequences,  they  lend  each  other  an  influence  to  fix 
the  construction  almost  beyond  calculation.  How 
prodigious,  then,  is  the  proof  in  favor  of  the  whole' 
—  in  favor  of  each  !  And  now  I  ask,  who  can  bring 
as  much  evidence  to  support  the  opposite  tenets  ? 
The  task  to  be  performed  by  the  man  who  would 
overthrow  one  of  these  truths,  is  to  sweep  away  the 
whole  of  this  immense  body  of  texts,  with  the  incalcu- 
lable influence  they  lend  each  other  to  settle  the  con- 
struction, and  leave  not  a  trace  of  the  system  behind. 
He  who  is  not  prepared  for  this  herculean  labor,  with 
half  the  Bible  meeting  him  at  the  threshold,  should 
beware  how  he  undertakes. 

I  cannot  quit  this  head  without  reminding  you  that 
these  are  the  truths  which  have  been  revered  and  loved 
by  the  great  body  of  the  Christian  church  in  every  age. 
They  stand  conspicuous  among  what  have  been  so 
often  and  justly  styled  "the  glorious  doctrines  of  the 
Reformation."  To  cherish  and  enjoy  these  blessed 
truths,  our  fathers  left  their  native  land  and  planted 
churches  in  this  howling  wilderness.  For  these  the 
New-England  churches,  during  the  first  century  and 
a  half,  would  have  shed  their  blood.     And  however 


296  THE    SYSTEM 

unfashionable  and  proscribed  they  may  now  have 
become  in  a  small  district,  these  are  still  the  doc- 
trines which  are  ardently  loved  by  four-fifths  of  the 
churches  of  New  England ;  which  are  held  as  corner- 
stones by  the  great  body  of  Christians  in  the  United 
States,  and  by  millions  and  millions  of  the  best  in- 
structed and  most  heavenly  minded  men  throughout 
the  world. 

11.  Every  system  which  rejects  these  four  doc- 
trines, is  "  another  gospel^ 

Far  be  it  from  me  to  question  the  piety  of  all  who 
on  some  of  these  points  have  confused  ideas,  and 
may,  in  words,  deny  them.  I  doubt  not  that  many 
of  the  excellent  of  the  earth,  through  the  defect  of 
light,  have  erroneous  conceptions  of  election  and  per- 
severance, and  under  these  names  oppose  real  errors. 
From  not  understanding  theological  terms,  they  deny, 
in  words,  what  in  fact  they  believe.  Others  have 
better  hearts  than  heads,  and  possessing  little  power 
of  discrimination,  are  unable,  though  light  is  spread 
before  them,  to  distinguish  so  far  as  to  dissolve  wTong 
associations  formed  by  early  prejudice ;  and  while 
they  sincerely  love  some  of  these  doctrines,  continue 
to  deny  the  rest.  I  have  no  reference  to  the  mistakes 
of  such  ;  but  to  systems  which,  with  a  dreadful  con- 
sistency, reject  this  whole  chain;  which  soften  down 
the  representations  of  human  depravity;  whicli  cast 
away  regeneration  and  experimental  piety,  and  place 
all  religion  in  external  duties,  performed  with  natu- 
ral and  selfish  feelings,  and  teach  men  to  hope  for 
heaven  by  only  cleansing  "  the  outside  of  the  cup  and 


CONFIRMED.  297 

—  platter;"  which  deny  that  "the  salvaiion  of  the 
righteous  is  of  the  Lord,"  and  set  aside  that  eternal 
transaction  between  the  Father  and  the  Son  which 
is  the  only  foundation  of  the  church ;  which  consti- 
tute every  man  his  own  keeper,  and  give  him  a  claim 
to  say,  when  he  arrives  at  heaven,  "See,  I  have  made 
myself  to  differ."  Such  systems  do  not  stop  at  a  per- 
version of  the  four  great  classes  of  texts  w^hich  stand 
directly  under  the  four  doctrines,  but  give  a  new  in- 
terpretation to  a  vast  many  passages  which  lend  a 
collateral  influence  to  support  these  ;  and,  in  their 
attempts  to  accommodate  the  Bible  to  the  opposite 
errors,  twist  a  large  portion  of  the  Scriptures,  and  the 
most  vital  part  of  them,  to  a  new  and  false  construc- 
tion. And  when  they  have  gone  this  length  in  frit- 
tering away  man's  dependence  on  grace,  they  are 
just  prepared  to  place  him  completely  on  his  own 
works,  to  deny  justification  by  faith,  and,  of  course, 
the  proper  influence  of  the  atonement.  Short  of  this- 
these  systems  never  stop.  And  w^hen  they  have  gone 
thus  far,  there  is  bur  one  step  to  a  denial  of  the  divin- 
ity of  Christ,  and  the  infinite  demerit  of  sin.  The  next 
step  is  universalism,  and  the  next,  infidelity.  But 
without  pushing  them  to  these  extremes,  it  is  evi- 
dent enough  that  they  are  "  another  gospel"  from  that 
which  comprehends  the  four  doctrines.  They  have 
scarcely  anything  in  common  with  it.  The  God  which 
they  present  is  not  the  same.  (This  they  allow  and 
maintain,  when  they  are  not  under  trial,  and  often 
allege  that  the  God  of  Calvinists  is  a  tyrant.)  The 
administration  of  his  government  is  not  the  same ; 


298  THE   SYSTEM 

the  work  of  the  Saviour  is  not  the  same ;  the  work 
of  the  Spirit  is  not  the  same  ;  the  character  and  con- 
dition of  man  are  not  the  same ;  the  terms  of  salva- 
tion are  not  the  same ;  holiness,  the  vital  principle 
of  all  religion,  is  not  the  same.  The  whole  plan  of 
salvation,  from  the  first  counsels  in  heaven  to  the 
completion  of  the  work  in  glory,  is  altogether  changed, 
—  changed  so  as  to  be  exactly  accommodated  to  a 
proud  and  selfish  heart,  and  fitted  to  form  the  religion 
of  a  gay  and  dissipated  world.  This  new  gospel 
leaves  "the  carnal  mind"  undisturbed,  and  even  con- 
ceals and  denies  its  existence.  No  wonder  that  it 
finds  no  carnal  mind  rising  up  in  its  way,  for  it  is  ex- 
actly such  a  religion  as  the  carnal  heart  loves.  No 
wonder  that  it  detects  no  "  enmity  against  God," 
for  the  god  which  it  exhibits  is  precisely  such  a  one 
as  the  selfish  heart  approves.  No  wonder  that  it  calls 
for  no  radical  change  of  heart ;  for  the  natural  feelings 
•of  man,  tutored  by  a  few  moral  precepts,  are  precisely 
what  pleases  it  best. 

All  this  time,  this  new  gospel  is  nothing  but  a  sys- 
tem of  enmitij  against  the  true  God.  It  violently  re- 
sists all  those  truths  in  which  the  real  character 
OF  God  is  chiefly  expressed.  It  shows  more  ran- 
cor against  these  than  against  any  other  set  of  re- 
puted errors.  Were  there  no  other  proof  of  its  being 
"another  gospel,"  this  alone  would  forever  settle  the 
point.  A  Jew  may  establish  his  synagogue  by  its 
side,  and  it  looks  on  unmoved.  A  Roman  Catholic, 
a  Quaker,  a  Universalist,  an  infidel,  may  carry  on  his 
worship  before  its  eye,  and  it  tolerates  them  all.    But 


CONFIRMED.  299 

let  these  doctrines  and  their  kindred  truths  be  brought 
forward,  and  there  is  a  louder  outcry  than  at  all  the 
rest.  I  wish  to  speak  with  candor  and  tenderness, 
for  I  know  in  whose  name  and  cause  I  am  speaking ; 
but  I  should  belie  the  steady  voice  of  experience  if  I 
did  not  say,  that  this  other  gospel  shows  more  ran- 
cor against  the  truths  supported  in  these  lectures,  than 
against  any  set  of  errors  on  earth,  whether  infidel, 
Jewish,  Mohammedan,  or  pagan.  It  would  rather  the 
heathen  nations  should  remain  at  the  temple  of  Jug- 
gernaut, than  be  enlightened  by  truths  like  these.  It 
regards  with  greater  displeasure  a  revival  of  religion 
upon  these  principles,  than  any  of  the  dissipations 
of  the  theatre.  It  treats  with  more  kindness  and  cor- 
diality any  of  the  men  of  the  world  than  the  profess- 
ors of  this  religion ;  even  while,  for  certain  ends,  it 
stands  by  the  tombs  of  our  Calvinistic  fathers,  and 
sings  hosannas  over  their  dust. 

III.  Allow  me  to  press  the  infinite  importance  of 
ascertaining,  by  deep  and  careful  examination,  what 
the  true  Gospel  is. 

You  have  often  read,  in  your  Bible,  "  He  that  he- 
lieveth  —  shall  be  saved,  but  he  that  believeth  not  shall 
be  damned."  It  is,  then,  a  settled  point  that  salvation 
is  suspended  on  a  belief  of  the  Gospel.  But  what  is 
a  belief  of  the  Gospel  ?  Not  a  belief  of  the  proposi- 
tion, that  on  the  pages  bound  up  in  a  certain  volume 
divine  truths  are  inscribed,  without  any  specific  ideas 
of  the  truths  themselves.  Much  less  is  it  a  rejection 
of  the  essential  parts  of  those  truths  and  a  belief  of 
"  another  gospel."      On  the  belief  of  the  true  G ospel 


300  THE    SYSTEM 

salvation  is  suspended,  not  on  the  belief  of  a /^'/a'C  one; 
on  the  acceptance  of  the  true  Saviour,  not  on  the  ac- 
ceptance of  a  saviour  as  different  from  the  true  as  a 
creature  is  from  God ;  on  the  worship  of  the  triie  God, 
not  on  the  worship  of  a  being  decked  out  with  attri- 
butes, and  invested  with  a  dominion  as  diflercntfrom 
the  perfections  and  government  of  Jehovah,  as  the 
supreme  deity  of  the  Brahmins  is  from  the  God  of 
the  Bible.  It  is  capable  of  the  most  unquestionable 
proof,  that  every  cardinal  error  in  religion  is  a  misap- 
prehension and  misrepresentation  of  the  character  or 
government  of  God,  and  that  every  system  of  error 
actually  supports  a  false  godP  It  is  equally  certain 
that  enmity  to  the  essential  truths  in  ivhich  the  char- 
acter of  God  is  expressed,  is  enmity  to  God  himself. 
If,  then,  idolatry  and  hatred  of  the  true  God  are  not 
the  faith  on  which  salvation  is  suspended,  a  system 
of  cardinal  errors,  persisted  in  afterlight  is  displayed, 
must  debar  from  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  If  he  who 
merely  believes  7?o^  "shall  be  damned,  what  will  be- 
come of  those  who  not  only  disbelieve  the  true  Gos- 
pel, but  build  a  false  gospel  on  its  ruins  ? 

It  becomes  then  as  important  as  your  eternal  sal- 
vation to  betake  yourselves  to  a  solemn  and  diligent 
examination  to  discover  what  the  true  Gospel  is.  If 
the  doctrines  supported  in  these  lectures,  and  their 
kindred  truths,  really  constitute  the  true  Gospel,  it  is 
infinitely  important  for  you  to  know  it.  But  I  fear 
that  some  of  you  will  say,  "  These  articles  may  be 
true,  but  my  religion  will  do  as  \yv\\  :  no  matter 
which  is  right,  if  lue  are  only  good.^^     Here  comes 


APPLIED.  301 

out  that  dreadful  dogma,  the  invention  and  trick  of 
modern  infidelity, —  soaked  and  drenched  in  infidelity 
to  the  very  core, —  that  it  is  no  matter  what  a 

MAN     BELIEVES,     PROVIDED      HIS      CONDUCT     IS      RIGHT. 

This  bantling  of  infidelity  has  been  foisted  into 
the  Christian  Church  and  profanely  baptized  by  the 
name  of  Charity.  But  it  has  nothing  to  do  with 
charity  except  the  name ;  for  "  charity,"  if  you  will 
credit  an  apostle,  "  believeth  all  thing's,''^  and  "  re- 
joicETH  IN  the  truth."  (1  Coi'.  xiii.  6,  7.)  If  tliis 
counterfeit,  hollow  thing  which  dares  to  take  the 
sacred  name  of  Charity,  had  not  renounced  the 
Bible,  it  would  have  known  that  errors  in  faith  are 
the  offspring  of  a  wicked  heart,  and  are  criminal,  and 
as  decisive  a  proof  of  irrelig-ion  as  immoral  practice. 
What  else  can  be  the  meaning  of  a  hundred  such 
passages  as  these  ?  "  He  —  vpbraided  them  with 
their  unbelief  and  hardness  of  heart,  because  they  be^ 
lieved  not ;"  "  O  fools,  and  sloio  of  heart  to  believe 
all  that  the  prophets  have  spoken ;"  "  He  that  be- 
lieveth not  is  condemned  already,  because  he  hath 
not  believed  in  the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son 
of  God.  And  this  is  the  condemnation,  that  light  is 
come  into  the  world  and  men  loved  darkness  rather 
than  light  because  their  deeds  were  evil.  For  every 
one  that  doeth  evil  hateth  the  light,  neither  cometh  to 
the  light  lest  his  deeds  should  be  reproved  ;"  "  For" 
this  they  ivillingly  are  ignorant  of;"  "  They  —  be- 
came vain  in  their  imagination  and  their  foolish 
heart  ivas  darkenedf^  "  Even  unto  this  day  when 
Moses  is  read  the  vail  is  upon  their  heart ;  never- 
26 


302  THE   SYSTEM 

theless,  token  it  [the  hearty]  shall  turn  to  the  Lord,  the 
vail  shall  be  taken  aivayf^  "  Having  the  understand- 
ing darkened  —  through  the  ignorance  that  is  in 
them  because  of  the  blindness  of  their  heart  f  "Why 
do  ye  not  understand  my  speech  ?  even  because  ye 
cannot  hear  my  word.  Ye  are  of  your  father  the 
devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your  father  ye  will  do :  he  was 
a  murderer  from  the  beginning,  and  abode  not  in  the 
truth,  because  there  is  no  truth  in  him  :  when  he 
speaketh  a  lie,  he  speaketh  of  his  own,  for  he  is  a 
liar  and  the  father  of  it.  And  because  I  tell  you  the 
truth  ye  believe  me  not.  —  He  that  is  of  God  heareth 
God^s  words :  ye  therefore  hear  them  not,  because  ye 
are  not  of  God ;"  "  A  deceived  heart  hath  turned 
him  aside  that  he  cannot  deliver  his  soul  nor  say,  Is 
there  not  a  lie  in  my  right  hand  ?  "  "  If  —  thine  eye  be 
single  thy  whole  body  shall  be  full  of  light ;  but  if 
thine  eye  be  evil  thy  whole  body  shall  be  full  of  dark- 
ness ;"  "  God  is  light  and  in  him  is  no  darkness  at 
all.  If  ice  say  that  ive  have  fellowship  with  Him 
and  ivalk  in  darkness,  we  lie  and  do  not  the  truth : 
but  if  we  walk  in  the  light,  as  he  is  in  the  light,  we 
have  fellowship  one  with  another. —  As  ye  have  heard 
that  antichrist  shall  come,  even  now  there  are  many 
antichrists.  —  They  went  out  from  us,  but  they  were 
not  of  us ;  for  if  they  had  been  of  us  they  would  no 
doubt  have  continued  with  us  :  but  they  went  out  that 
it  might  be  made  manifest  that  they  luere  not  all 
of  us.  But  ye  have  an  unction  from  the  Holy  One, 
and  ye  know  all  things.  I  have  not  written  unto 
you  because  ye  knoiv  not  the  truth,  but  because  ye 


APPLIED.  303 

knoiu  it,  and  that  no  lie  is  of  the  truth.  —  Let  that 
therefore  abide  in  you  which  ye  have  heard  from  the 
beginning.  If  that  which  ye  have  heard  from  the 
beginning  remain  in  you,  ye  also  shall  continue  in  the 
Son  and  in  the  Father. —  These  things  have  I  written 
unto  you  concerning  them  that  seduce  you.  But  the 
anointing  which  ye  have  received  of  him  abideth  in 
you ;  and  ye  need  not  that  any  man  teach  you,  but  as 
the  same  anointing  teacheth  you  of  all  things,  and  is 
truth,  and  is  no  lie,  and  even  as  it  hath  taught  you, 
ye  shall  abide  in  him.  —  Beloved,  believe  not  every 
spirit,  but  try  the  spirits  whether  they  are  of  God ; 
because  many  false  prophets  are  gone  out  into  the 
world.  —  They  are  of  the  ivorld ;  therefore  speak 
they  of  the  world,  and  the  ivorld  heareth  them :  we 
are  of  God;  he  that  knoiueth  God  heareth  us;  he  that 
is  not  of  God  heareth  not  us :  hereby  know  we  the 
spirit  of  truth  and  the  spirit  of  error ;"  "  I  rejoiced 
greatly  that  I  found  of  thy  children  walking  in  the 
truth,  as  lue  have  received  a  coinmandment  from  the 
Father ;  —  whom  I  love  in  the  truth,  and  not  I  only, 
but  all  they  that  have  known  the  truth ;  for  the  truth's 
sake  lahich  dwelleth  in  us  and  shall  be  ivith  us  for- 
ever ;"  "  I  rejoiced  greatly  when  the  brethren  came 
and  testified  of  the  truth  that  is  in  thee,  even  as  thou 
walkest  in  the  truth.  I  have  no  greater  joy  than  to 
hear  that  my  children  walk  in  truth ;"  "  He  that  be- 
lieveth  on  the  Son  of  God  hath  the  witness  in  him- 
self; he  that  believeth  not  God  hath  made  him  a 
Harf  "  This  is  his  commandment  that  you  should  be- 
lieve on  tlie  name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Clrrist;"  ^^  If  any 


304  THE   SYSTEM 

man  will  do  Jiis  ivill  he  shall  Jcnoiv  of  the  doctrine  tohether 
it  he  of  God  or  whether  I  q.eah  of  myself  ;'^^  "  There- 
fore speak  I  to  them  in  parables,  because  they  seeing 
see  nofy  and  hearhig  they  hear  not,  neither  do  they 
understand.  And  in  them  is  fulfilled  the  prophecy 
of  Esaias,  which  saith,  By  hearing  ye  shall  hera-  and 
shall  not  understand,  and  seeing  ye  shall  see  and  shall 
not  perceive ;  for  this  people's  heart  is  waxed  gross,  and 
their  ears  are  dull  of  hearing,  and  their  eyes  have 
they  closed,  lest  at  any  time  they  should  see  with  their 
eyes,  and  hear  with  their  ears,  and  should  under- 
stand WITH  THEIR  HEART,  and  should  bc  converted. 
—  When  any  one  heareth  the  word  and  understand- 
eth  it  not,  —  this  is  he  which  received  seed  by  the  way 
side.  —  But  he  that  received  seed  into  the  good  ground 
is  he  that  heareth  the  word  and  understand^^th  it  f 
"  Perceive  ye  not  yet,  neither  understand?  have  ye 
your  hearts  yet  hardened  ?  "  ."  Be  ye  not  umvise,  hut  un- 
derstanding ivhat  the  ivill  of  the  Lord  is  ;"  "  God  gave 
them  over  to  a  reprobate  mind,  —  being  filled  with 
all  unrighteousness,  —  without  understanding  ;^^  "  The 
Son  of  God  is  come  and  hath  given  us  an  understand- 
ing that  we  may  know  him ;"  "  If  our  Gospel  be 
hid  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lost  ;  in  whom  the  god 
of  this  tvorld  hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them  which  be- 
lieve not;^^  "In  which  are  some  things  hard  to  be 
understood,  which  they  that  are  unlearned  and 
unstable  wrest,  as  they  do  the  other  Scriptures  unto  their 
own  destruction.  Ye  therefore,  beloved,  seeing  ye 
know  these  things  before,  beware  lest  ye  also,  being 
led  away  by  the  error  of  the  ivicked,  fall  from    your 


APPLIED.  305 

own  steadfastness;"  "  For  this  cause  God  shall  send 
them  strong  delusions  that  they  should  believe  a  lie,  that 
they  all  might  he  damned  ivho  believed  not  the  truth  but 
had  pleasure  in  unrighteousness  ;"  "  The  heart  of  the 
wise  teacheth  his  mouth,  and  addeth  lemming  to  his 
lips. —  There  is  a  way  that  seemeth  right  unto  a  man, 
but  the  end  thereof  are  the  ways  of  death  f  "  Who- 
soever transgresseth  and  abideth  not  in  the  doctrine  of 
Christ,  hath  not  God :  he  that  abideth  in  the  doctrine  of 
Christ,  he  hath  both  the  Father  and  the  Son.  If  there 
come  any  unto  you  and  bring  not  this  doctrine,  receive 
him  not  into  your  house,  neither  bid  him  God  speed;  for 
he  that  biddeth  him  God  speed  is  partaker  of  his  evil 
deeds ;"  "  IIencefo7ih  be  no  7nore  children  tossed  to  and 
fro  and  carried  about  with  every  ivind  of  doctrine,  by 
the  sleight  of  men  and  cmining  craftiness  tvhereby  they 
lie  in  wait  to  deceive  f^  "  Be  not  carried  about  with  di- 
vers a7id  strange  doctrines,  for  it  is  a  good  thing  that 

THE     HEART     BE     ESTABLISHED    WITH     GRACE;"       "  For 

the  time  will  come  when  they  will  not  endure  sound 
doctrine ;  but  after  their  own  lusts  shall  they  heap  to 
themselves  teachers,  having  itching  ears ;  and  they 
shall  turn  away  their  ears  from  the  truth  and  shall  be 
tm'ned  unto  fables  ;"  "  The  works  of  tlte  flesh  —  are 
heresies  ;"  "  A  man  that  is  a  heretic,  after  the  first  and 
second  admonition  reject ;  knowing  that  he  that  is 
such  is  subverted  and  sinneth,  being  condemned  of  him- 
self f^  "  There  must  he  — heresies  among  you  that  they 
which  are  approved  may  be  made  manifest ;"  "  There 
were  false  prophets  also  among  the  people,  even  as 
there  shall  be  false  teachers  among  you,  who  privily 
26* 


306  THE   SYSTEM 

shall  bring  in  damnable  heresies^  even  denying  the 
Lord  that  bought  theim,  and  bring  upon  them- 
selves swift  destniction.  And  many  shall  follow  their 
pernicious  ways,  by  reason  of  whom  tlie  tvay  of  truth 
shall  he  evil  sjjoken  of ;  whose  judgment  now  of  a 
long  time  Ihigereth  not^  and  their  damnation  slamhereth 
not:'  (Prov.  xvi.  23,  25  ;  Isai.  xliv.  20  ;  Mat.  vi.  22, 
23  and  xiii.  13—15,  19,  23 ;  Mark  viii.  17  and  xvi. 
14  ;  Luke  xxiv.  25 ;  John  iii.  18 — 20  and  vii.  17  and 
viii.  43—^15, 47  ;  Rom.  i.  21, 28,  29, 31 ;  1  Cor.  xi.  19, 
2  Cor.  iii.  15,  16  and  iv.  3,  4 ;  Gal.  v.  19,  20 ;  Eph. 
iv.  14,  18  and  v.  17  ;  2  Thes.  ii.  11,  12  ;  2  Tim.  iv.  3, 
4 ;  Tit.  iii.  10,  11  ;  Heb.  xiii.  9  ;  2  Pet.  ii.  1—3  and 
iii.  5,  16,  17 ;  1  John  i.  5—7  and  ii.  18—27  and  iii. 
23  and  iv.  1,  5,  6  and  v.  10,  20 ;  2  John  1,  2,  4,  9— 
11;   3  John  3,  4.) 

If  these  and  many  more  similar  texts  do  not  de- 
cide the  point  that  errors  are  both  bl  am  able  and 
destructive,  it  is  in  vain  to  attempt  to  prove  any- 
thing from  the  Bible.  Indeed,  if  a  denial  of  one 
half  of  the  truths  of  Christianity  is  not  criminal,  no 
reason  can  be  given  why  downright  infidelity  is. 
And  if  infidelity  is  not,  why  did  our  Saviour  say  to 
the  Jev/s,  "  If  ye  believe  not  that  I  am  he,  ye  shall 
die  in  your  sins  ? "  And  why  were  the  Jews 
"  broken  off"  and  so  dreadfully  punished  for  "  un- 
belief?" And  why  is  it  said  to  all  nations,  "He 
that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned  ? "  And  will 
you  after  all  say  thilt  a  man  is  not  answerable 
for  his  faith  ? 

This  point  being  settled,  it  is  manifest  that  if  the 


APPLIED.  307 

four  doctrines  which  have  been  supported  do  in  truth 
belong  to  the  Gospel,  the  opposite  errors  to  say  the 
least,  must  endanger  your  salvation.  What  language 
then  can  express  the  infinite  importance  of  entering 
without  delay  on  a  deep  and  solemn  examination 
into  these  matters  ?  It  is  truly  distressing  to  observe 
the  dreadful  indifference  which  prevails  on  the  ques- 
tion, what  is  truth?  Hence  the  lamentable  ignorance 
of  people  who  have  been  brought  up  under  tne  light 
of  the  Gospel.  Such  indifference  had  not  Paul  when 
he  said,  and  with  an  emphasis  repeated,  "  Though 
we  or  an  angel  from  heaven  preach  any  other  gospel, 
—  let  him  be  accursed."  This  baleful  indifference, 
couched  under  the  imposing  name  of  Charity,  threat- 
ens to  yield  up  the  last  fragment  of  truth  which  we 
received  as  a  legacy  from  our  fathers,  and  to  leave 
our  poor  children  without  inheritance, —  except  those 
delusions  which  will  drown  them  in  perdition.  If 
anything  is  likely  to  cut  off  our  children  from  hope, 
it  is  this  cruel  indifference :  for  if  you  can  once  be 
brought  to  feel  the  importance  of  examining  with 
earnestness  and  prayer,  there  is  no  fear  for  the  issue. 
If  then  you  have  any  compassion  for  your  children, 
throw  off  this  apathy,  and  like  the  noble  Bereans 
arise  and  search  the  Scriptures.  In  them  you  will 
find  a  confirmation  of  the  faith  of  our  fathers,  and 
will  hear  them  say,  "  Stand  ye  in  the  ways  and  see, 
and  ask  for  the  old  paths,  where  is  the  good  ivaij, 
and  walk  therein,  and  ye  shall  find  rest  for  your 
souls."  (Jer.  vi.  16.)  Every  friend  of  the  Church, 
every  friend  of  society,  every  friend   of  the  rising 


308.  THE   SYSTEM 

generation,  ought  to  give  no  sleep  to  his  eyes  nor 
slumber  to  his  eye-lids  till  he  has  examined  these 
first  principles  to  the  bottom  and  become  well 
grounded  and  settled  in  the  truth.  Drop  every 
other  concern,  forget  your  business,  forget  your 
Bleep,  forget  your  food  rather  than  this  inquiry.  O 
that  there  was  a  voice  to  send  this  heavenly  man- 
date through  every  heart,  "Search  the  Scriptures." 
If  you  find  not  there  the  doctrines  which  I  have  set 
forth,  reject  them  :  I  charge  you  upon  your  peril, 
reject  them.  Call  no  man  master,  but  examine  the 
Scriptures  for  yourselves.  It  is  they  who  by  business 
and  amusements  are  detained  from  their  Bibles,  that 
drink  in  the  poisonous  errors  of  the  day. 

Were  there  but  one  chance  in  a  thousand  that 
these  doctrines  will  prove  true  at  last,  no  man,  bound 
to  the  eternal  judgment,  ought  to  rest  till  he  has  ex- 
plored them  to  the  bottom.  For  if  they  do  prove 
true,  and  you  venture  forward  into  eternity  upon  the 
ground  of  a  heartless  morality,  you  are  as  certainly 
lost  as  though  you  were  infidels.  While  you  have 
the  sure  testimony  of  God  in  your  hands,  rest  not, 
—  I  conjure  you  by  all  that  is  sacred,  rest  not  your 
eternal  all  upon  a  doubtful  basis.      * 

One  evil,  never  enough  to  be  deplored  is,  that 
people  do  not  and  will  not  dlstincjimh.  They  are 
pleased  with  different  preachers,  who  bring  as  differ- 
ent go^jpcls  as  the  Koran  is  different  from  the  Bible. 
They  are  as  ready  to  put  themselves  in  the  way  of 
hearing  error  as  truth,  and  swallow  down  whatever 
comes,  provided  only  it  is  gracefully  administered. 


APPLIED.  309 

Such  people  are  like  children  rushing  into  an  apoth- 
cary's    shop,  and  tasting  at  random   of  every  vial, 
without  the  power  of  distinguishing  medicines  from 
poisons.     It  requires  no  spirit  of  prophecy  to  per- 
ceive that  such  a  course  is  likely  to   prove  fatal.     If 
the    doctrines    supported  in   these    lectures  are  the 
truths  of  God,  then  those  ministrations  which  soften 
down  the  representations  of  human  depravity,  which 
reject  the  Scriptural  idea  of  regeneration,  and  place 
all  religion  in  external  duties,  performed  with  natural 
feelings  a  little  improved,  are  certainly  leading  men  to 
perdition^  and  ought  to  be  shunned  as  one  of  the 
severest  scourges  ever  inflicted  by  heaven  on  a  de- 
generate people.     I  feel  myself  bound  to  offer  this 
solemn  testimony,  and  I  do  it  without  personal  dis- 
respect to  any  man;  whoever  preacJies  ''•  another  gospeV^ 
ought  7iot  to  be  heard  a  moment.    By  hearing  you  coun- 
tenance error  and  hold  up  hands  stretched  out,  (how- 
ever unintentional!}^,)  to  scatter  death  ;  you  expose 
yourselves  to  contagion,  and  by  a  fatal  example  lead 
your   undiscerning  children  in  the  road  to  eternal 
ruin.     Parents  v/ho  do  this  must  answer  it  to  God. 
Would  Paul  have  done  this  when  he  fervently  pro- 
nounced, "  Though  we  or   an   angel   from    heaven 
preach  any  other  gospel,  —  let  him  be  accursed?" 
Would  John  have  done  this  when  he  said,  "  If  there 
come  any  unto  you,  and  bring  not  this  doctrine,  re- 
ceive him  not  into  your  house,  neither  bid  him  God 
speed  ;  for  he  that  biddeth  him  God  speed  is  partaker  of 
Ms  evil  deeds  f^^     The  blessed  martyr  Irenseus,  who 
lived  in  the  age  immediately  after  the  apostles,  has 


"310  THE   SYSTEM 

preserved  the  following  anecdotes  of  the  beloved 
disciple,  and  of  Polycarp,  "  the  angel  of  the  church 
of  Smyrna,"  who  is  so  highly  commended  in  the 
Bevelation  :  "  There  are  some  now  living,"  says  he, 
"who  heard  [Polycarp]  relate  this  fact;  that  John,  the 
disciple  of  our  Lord,  going  to  bathe  at  Ephesus,  and 
seeing  Cerinthus  within,  [who  among  other  things 
held,  with  modern  Socinians,  that  Jesus  ivas  only  the 
son  of  JosepJi  and  3Iari/*]  leaped  from  the  bath  un- 
washed, saying  that  he  was  afraid  the  bath  would 
fall,  as  Cerinthus  the  enemy  of  truth  was  in  it.  And 
Polycarp  himself  replied  to  Marcion,  who  met  him 
one  day  and  said,  '  Do  you  know  me?  '  '  I  know  you 
to  be  the  first-born  of  Satan.'  So  much  fear,"  con- 
tinues Irenaeus,  "  had  the  apostles  and  their  disciples 
of  communicating  even  in  word  with  any  of  those 
who  corrupted  the  truth ;  as  Paul  also  said,  '  A  here- 
tic after  one  admonition  avoid,  knowing  that  he  that 
is  such  is  subverted,  and  is  condemned  of  himself.'  "f 
The  genuineness  of  this  record  is  fully  confirmed  by 
its  being  not  only  found  in  the  Works  of  Irenasus, 
but  quoted  also  by  Eusebius.J  Polycarp,  you  must 
know,  was  the  disciple  of  John,  and  was,  as  Irenaeus 
himself  remarks,  not  only  taught  by  the  apostles,  and 
conversant  with  many  of  those  who  had  seen  our 
Lord,  but  constituted  by  the  apostles  in  Asia  bishop 
of  the  church  of  Smyrna,"  and  in  extreme  old  age 

*  Irena?!  lib.  1.  contra  Ilareses.  cap.  26. 

t  Idem  lib  3.  cap.  3. 

t  Eccl.  Hist.  lib.  3  cap.  28  ;   and  lib.  4,  cap.  14. 


APPLIED.  311 

gloriously  suffered  martyrdom.*  L'enseus  himself 
was  the  disciple  of  Polycarp.  He  was  born  in  Asia, 
near  where  John  lived  and  died,  and  afterwards  be- 
came bishop  of  Lyons  in  France.  In  his  Epistle  to 
Florinus,  written  in  his  old  age,  he  says :  "  I  saw  you, 
when  I  was  yet  a  boy,  in  the  Leaser  Asia,  with  Poly- 
carp. — For,  the  things  which  were  then  done  I  re- 
member better  than  those  which  have  happened  late- 
ly ;  —  insomuch  that  I  could  even  describe  the  place 
where  the  blessed  Polycarp  used  to  sit  and  reason, 
and  his  going  out  and  coming  in,  and  his  manner  of 
life,  and  bodily  appearance,  and  finally  the  discovirses 
which  he  delivered  to  the  multitude,  and  how  he  told 
them  of  his  familiar  intimacy  with  John,  and  with  the 
rest  who  had  seen  the  Lord,  as  also  how  he  rehearsed 
their  sayings,  and  related  the  things  which  he  had 
heard  of  them  respecting  the  Lord,  and  his  miracles, 
and  doctrine,  which  Polycarp  had  received  from  those 
who  had  themselves  seen  the  Word  of  Life. —  These 
things  which  happened  at  that  time,  through  the 
goodness  of  God  I  eagerly  heard,  writing  them,  not 
on  paper,  but  in  my  heart,  and  am  continually, 
through  the  grace  of  God,  revolving  them  with  ex- 
actness in  my  mind.  And  in  the  presence  of  God  I 
can  make  the  solemn  protestation,  that  that  blessed 
and  apostolic  presbyter,  had  he  heard  any  such  thing, 
would  certainly  have  exclaimed  ;  and,  with  his  ears 
stopped,  would  have  said,  as  his  manner  was.  Good 
God !  fo  what  times  hast  thou  reserved  me,  that  J 

*  Irensei  lib.  3  ;  contra  Iltereses,  cap.  3. 


312  THE   SYSTEM 

should  endure  these  things !  and  would  have  fled 
from  the  place  itself,  in  which,  sitting  or  standing,  he 
should  have  heard  discourses  of  this  sort."* 

Such  was  the  spirit  of  the  primitive  church,  —  of 
apostles  and  martyrs.  But  we  are  fallen  on  other 
times, — on  times  when  it  has  become  an  unpardon- 
able offence  to  frown  at  heresy,  much  more  to  separate 
from  those  who  preach  "  another  gospel."  They  who 
have  no  wish  to  give  offence  or  pain,  but  dare  not, 
for  their  lives,  place  themselves  and  their  dear  chil- 
dren under  the  sound  of  "  another  gospel," /or  a  single 
day^  must  be  hunted  out  of  the  world  because  they  do 
not  grow  to  seats  which  resound  with  nothing  else. 
They  hear  a  voice  from  heaven,  "  Come  out  from 
among  them  and  be  ye  separate,  —  and  touch  not  the 
unclean  thing;"  and  they  fear  to  disobey.  Let  this  be 
their  justification  with  all  who  have  not  renounced 
the  Christian  name.  Indeed,  this  separation  had  be- 
come indispensable.  "Were  all  the  people  to  go  on, 
together,  a  few  years  longer,  the  whole  mass  wovild 
be  carried  down  the  stream,  and  all  the  rising  gene- 
ration inevitably  plunged  into  the  gulf  beneath. 
This  alliance  between  light  and  darkness  is  just  as 
the  enemy  of  God  and  man  would  have  it.  It  is  the 
master-piece  of  his  policy,  to  root  out  the  last  remains 
of  the  piety  and  faith  of  our  fathers. 

Before  I  conclude,  I  must  bespeak  your  most  sol- 
emn attention  to  a  few  reflections.  I  pray  you  to  listen 
for  a  moment  with  no  ordinary  concern.    I  have  some- 

*  Ircnaei  opera,  p.  339,  340.  Taris  cd.  1710. 


APPLIED.  313 

thing  to  lay  before  you  which  is  of  more  vital  impor- 
tance to  you  than  any  other  considerations  on  earth. 
If  these  four  doctrines  are  eternal  truths,  what  is  to 
become  of  the  gi-eater  part  of  my  hearers  ?  Are  half 
of  you,  upon  these  principles,  prepared  for  judgment? 
If  these  doctrines  are  true,  every  one  of  you  must  be 
born  ag-ain,  or  lie  down  in  everlasting  sorrows.  Nei- 
ther your  morality  nor  your  indifference  will  screen 
you.  Have  you  been  horn  again  ?  You  are  going  on, 
to  eternity,  as  fast  as  time  can  waft  you.  The  inter- 
position of  a  world  could  not  retard  your  progress. 
Presently  you  will  tremble  on  a  dying  bed.  Are  you 
prepared  for  judg^nent  ?  Those  very  eyes  will  see  a 
falling  universe  !  Those  very  feet  will  stand  before 
the  bar  of  God  !  I  see  the  heavens  opening,  the  Son 
of  man  descending,  the  dead  arising,  the  world  burn- 
ing, and  my  dear  hearers  before  the  bar!  Where, 
now,  is  that  thin  morality  that  covered  an  infidel  heart  ? 
The  omniscient  eye  has  dissolved  it  by  a  look!  I 
stretch  forward  my  thoughts,  through  the  revolutions 
of  a  thousand  ages,  and  find  my  hearers  still  fixed  in 
heaven  or  hell !  I  wander  through  other  periods,  as 
numerous  as  the  moments  in  the  first,  and  still  I  find 
you  fixed  in  heaven  or  hell !  Is  such  an  eternity  be- 
fore you,  and  are  you  asleep  ?  Are  you  not  bringing 
all  your  powers  into  one  effort  "  to  make  your  calJing 
and  election  sure  ? "  Can  you  slumber  with  such 
an  eternity  before  you  ?  Dreaming  of  the  efficacy  of 
your  modes  and  forms  !  Dream  no  more  :  you  rtiust 
undergo  a  radical  change  of  heart.  "  Verily,  verily,  I 
27 


314  THE   SYSTEM 

say  unto  [you],  except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  can- 
not see  the  kingdom  of  God."  How  could  such  hearts 
as  some  of  you  possess  be  happy  in  heaven  if  admit- 
ted to  the  place?  hearts  that  do  not  love  prayer, that 
do  not  love  the  Bible,  that  do  not  love  Sabbaths,  nor 
the  society  of  God's  people.  "Will  cleansing  the  out- 
side prepare  such  hearts  to  relish  an  eternal  illustra- 
tion of  Bible  truths  ?  to  relish  a  confinement  to  religious 
company,  and  the  devotions  of  an  everlasting  Sab- 
bath ?  As  well  might  the  languid  invalid,  who  loathes 
his  food,  think  to  prepare  himself  for  a  feast  by 
changing  his  coat. 

If  these  four  doctrines  are  everlasting  truths,  then 
every  one  of  you  who  has  not  been  born  again  is,  at 
this  moment,  an  enemy  of  God,  and  lying  under  the 
sentence  of  eternal  death ;  bending  under  the  curse  of 
the  Almighty  when  you  go  out  and  when  you  come 
in,  when  you  rise  up  and  when  you  lie  down.  And 
can  you  sport  and  be  merry,  as  though  all  was  well? 
Is  this  the  time  for  gaiety  and  mirth  ?  Is  it  not  the 
time  to  mourn  and  weep  and  break  your  hearts  ? 

But,  alas !  you  will  not  weep.  You  have  utterly 
ruined  the  temper  of  your  minds,  and  are  so  impla- 
cable in  your  opposition  to  God,  that  nothing  but  his 
invincible  power  can  break  your  hearts.  This  com- 
pletes your  ruin,  and  casts  you,  wholly  dependent, 
on  his  sovereign  will.  On  that  will,  which  all  crea- 
tion cannot  change,  your  salvation  absolutely  depends. 
I  press  this  point  because  you  must  feel  your  ruin 
and  dependence,  or  be  forever  undone.     O  that  we 


APPLIED.  315 

could  see  you  prostrate  at  the  feet  of  him  whom  you 
have  made  your  enemy  by  wicked  works,  deeply  con- 
vinced of  the  justice  of  yom'  (condemnation,  and  that 
no  other  will  or  arm  can  save  you.  There,  while 
crushed  under  infinite  mountains  of  guilt,  and  sink- 
ing into  eternal  despair,  you  will  see  that  the  only 
way  left  you  is,  to  cast  yourself  on  the  resources  of 
the  adorable  Trinity ;  you  will  see  that  your  last  re- 
sort is  sovereign  grace ;  and,  while  trembling  and  con- 
founded before  the  uncovered  majesty  and  purity  of 
God,  you  will  see  how  much  you  needed  a  Saviour 
ahsolutley  divine^  —  that  the  sacrifice  of  a  creature 
could  not  have  answered  for  a  wretch  like  you  !  — 
In  that  spot  I  heard  a  voice :  — "  Come  unto  me, 
poor,  trembling,  dying  sinner,  and  I  will  give  you  rest. 
My  name  is  Jesus,  because  I  came  to  save  my  peo- 
ple from  their  sins."  Trembling,  dying  sinner,  did 
you  not  hear  him  ?  Why,  then,  not  arise  and  flee 
into  his  arms  ?  "Why  lie  there  and  die  ?  He  means 
yov^  —  no  child  of  Adam  more  than  you.  Why  do 
you  linger?  Why  do  you  tremble  ?  The  arms  that 
are  extended  are  the  same  that  were  stretched  on  the 
tree.  Go,  and  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  give  you  the 
desirefe  of  your  heart. 

Thus  the  system  which  has  been  supported  in  these 
lectures,  brings  us,  at  last,  to  Calvary,  and  points  to 
the  cross  of  Christ.  It  is  a  circle  the  centre  of  which 
is  Christ  crucified.  Thus  may  all  my  preaching 
point  to  him  alone,  and  honor  none  but  him.  There 
would  I  leave  all  my  glory,  thither  direct  all  my  praise. 


316  THE  SYSTEM  APPLIED. 

Let  heaven  and  earth  gather  round  this  beloved  name. 
Of  all  creation  let  this  be  the  song  :  "  Worthy  is  the 
Lamb  that  was  slain."  To  him  be  the  best  honors 
which  this  redeemed  world  can  rear :  "  to  him  that 
loved  us  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  oiunbloodf^ 
^^who  is  over  all  God  blessed  forever.     Amen." 


Pnncelon  Theological  Sfminary-Speer  Library 


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